Even Patrick Mahomes is in awe of Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz

Graham Mertz was perfect in the first half of his first start and Patrick Mahomes took notice.

Graham Mertz‘s first career start for Wisconsin football throughly impressed Patrick Mahomes.

Mertz was tabbed as the most-hyped quarterback to play for the Wisconsin Badgers since Russell Wilson’s one year in Madison back in 2011. The Overland Park, Kansas native committed to Wisconsin last year but didn’t beat out Jack Coan for the starting job. With Coan out indefinitely with a foot injury, Mertz took full advantage of his opportunity to start and turned some heads.

It’s only been one half, but is this Graham Mertz’s Wisconsin football team now?

Mertz was perfect in the first half of his first career start for Wisconsin, as he completed all 14 of his passing attempts for 190 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged a ridiculous 13.6 yards per passing attempt against a bewildered Illinois Fighting Illini defense. We’re used to seeing Wisconsin win games with a ground-and-pound offensive approach, so Mertz’s big night was a sight to see.

Wisconsin entered the 2020 Big Ten football season as the presumptive favorite to win the Big Ten West and lose to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the conference championship. The Badgers have shown us they can handle all six of their division rivals with great regularity, but can’t exactly hang with the Buckeyes or the Penn State Nittany Lions out of the Big Ten East. . . or at least until now.

This is different, or at least, it looks different. Even though the Illini aren’t excepted to do much this season, keep in mind Illinois did upset the Badgers last season in Champaign. Clearly, the Badgers came to play, and they didn’t care if Coan wasn’t able to start for them. They’ve got Mertz and he is absolutely dominating the Illinois defense. It’s not even Saturday and we’re fully impressed.

Maybe Mertz can be the difference-maker to lead the Badgers into the College Football Playoff?

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