Badgers strike first: Graham Mertz hits Mason Stokke for first B1G TD of 2020
One drive into his first season as a starting quarterback at Wisconsin, Graham Mertz threw a touchdown pass.
Thanks to an Illinois fumble on the opening drive of the game, the Badgers had their first offensive possession in great field position, setting up a 6-play, 33-yard touchdown drive to start the contest on Friday night.
Mertz, a redshirt freshman making his first start at the college level, hit Mason Stokke for a 10-yard touchdown pass to give Wisconsin an early 7-0 lead. It was the first touchdown of the B1G season in 2020.
Graham Mertz with the first B1G TD pass of the season pic.twitter.com/tQxVnkkvlD
— Dustin Schutte (@SchutteCFB) October 24, 2020
Mertz completed all 3 of his passes on the drive for 25 yards.
Not a bad way for the redshirt freshman to start as a first-time starter at QB. He came into the contest having appeared in just two career games for the Badgers, completing 9-of-10 pass attempts in 2019.
Wisconsin was a 20-point favorite in the B1G opener.