Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz went 20-for-21 with 248 yards against Illinois in the Badgers season opener on Oct. 23.

The next day, he tested positive for COVID-19.

Per the B1G league protocol, Mertz was quarantined for 21 days and wasn’t cleared to play until late last week. Mertz made the start at quarterback for the Badgers against Michigan Saturday night, and led the Badgers to a solid 49-11 victory in Ann Arbor.

After shaking some rust off, the redshirt freshman found his rhythm and finished the game 12 of 22 for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Mertz, who suffered from COVID-19 symptoms for 4-5 days, including headaches and a sore throat, was complimentary of the league’s policy when asked after the game.

“Everybody says the Big Ten (COVID-19) protocol is too long, but I think they do a great job of organizing it and taking care of the players. And going through it really showed me that,” said Mertz.