GRAHAM MERTZ

Defending national champion Georgia became the second team in 15 seasons to score a touchdown on its first seven possessions against a ranked opponent.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz says his confidence hasn’t wavered even during an offseason in which Oklahoma transfer Caleb Williams’ name got mentioned as his potential replacement. Mertz is now working with a new receiving corps and new offensive coordinator as he attempts to gain consistency and live up to the lofty expectations that accompanied his arrival. “My confidence never really has gotten tested to the point where I doubt myself,” Mertz said Monday.

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst says he never personally spoke with Caleb Williams when the former Oklahoma quarterback was considering potential transfer destinations before choosing Southern California. Chryst added that he did keep incumbent quarterback Graham Mertz informed about the situation as Williams was making his decision. "He understands,” Chryst said Monday, the day before Wisconsin opens spring practice.

Graham Mertz scored on two quarterback sneaks and threw a touchdown pass to help Wisconsin trounce No. 9 Iowa 27-7 on Saturday for its fourth consecutive victory.

Cornelius Johnson caught both of Cade McNamara’s touchdown passes and No. 14 Michigan remained unbeaten with a 38-17 victory over Wisconsin, which lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a chest injury.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz left Saturday's game against No. 14 Michigan after he was sacked early in the third quarter. The team said Mertz and tight end Jake Ferguson went to the locker room with chest injuries. Michigan’s Daxton Hill sacked Mertz on a third-and-9 play in the first series of the third.

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst says the Badgers’ problems on offense don’t rest solely with struggling quarterback Graham Mertz. Mertz was 18 for 41 for 240 yards with four interceptions and a fumble in the Badgers’ 41-13 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday. Chryst said Monday his message to the sophomore is to stay positive.

For about 45 minutes late Saturday afternoon, college football was on overload.

Chris Tyree returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and Drew Pyne threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter in relief of an injured Jack Coan as No. 12 Notre Dame beat No. 18 Wisconsin 41-13 at Soldier Field.

No. 16 Arkansas' game against No. 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and No. 18 Wisconsin's meeting with No. 12 Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago highlight the college football schedule on Saturday.

Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted Graham Mertz deep in Penn State territory in the final 2½ minutes to preserve the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions’ 16-10 victory over No. 12 Wisconsin.

Nine of the 14 Big Ten football teams appear set at quarterback heading into the fall.

Indiana tied a program record Saturday by earning its sixth Big Ten win of the season, joining the 1967 and 1987 teams. Tuttle also lost a fumble that led to a Wisconsin field goal. “He goes running into the locker so I’m thinking, I’m telling Dex (Dexter Williams), ‘OK, this is your time. Indiana entered the day with a Big Ten-leading 18 takeaways and used an early turnover to take the lead for good. Wisconsin had moved the ball to the Indiana 39 when Tiawan Mullen sacked Mertz and knocked the ball loose.

Northwestern players celebrate after they defeated Wisconsin 17-7 in an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526.

Wisconsin wide receiver Chimere Dike (13) gets away from Michigan defensive back Vincent Gray (4) during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. 13 Wisconsin was ready, not rusty, in its first game in three weeks. The Wolverines (1-3) fell behind 28-0 at halftime, their largest deficit at home since the Big House opened in 1927, and finished with their most lopsided loss at home since a 1935 loss to Ohio State. The team announced that 10 players would not be available to play at Michigan, but didn't say why they were out of the lineup. Michigan travels to Rutgers (1-3) desperately needing a win.

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin has canceled Saturday's home game against Purdue, the second straight game the 10th-ranked Badgers have called off as COVID-19 cases within their team continue to rise. Ten players and 11 staffers have tested positive over the last seven days. This marks the second straight week that Wisconsin has canceled a football game due to the outbreak. They called that game off on Oct. 28, the same day they announced that coach Paul Chryst had tested positive. This second cancellation gives Wisconsin little room for error in its quest to reach a second straight conference championship game.

9 Wisconsin canceled its game at Nebraska and paused team activities for at least a week after a dozen people in the program — including coach Paul Chryst — tested positive for COVID-19. Alvarez said the team had only one positive test two days before Friday's season-opening 45-7 victory over Illinois and 12 positive tests afterward. Alvarez said Wisconsin had reached the “orange/red” levels in the Big Ten protocols based on its rate of positive tests. The announcement followed reports that quarterback Graham Mertz had tested positive twice – which would require him to sit out at least 21 days under Big Ten protocols – and that backup quarterback Chase Wolf had tested positive at least once. “We’ll see where we are as far as testing, and we’ll make that decision as we move closer to the game,” Alvarez said.

What happens if an outbreak hits a team’s quarterback room? “Obviously this year there’s some things that will be unique,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said Monday without specifically discussing his players’ test results. “I think there certainly were those questions after the decision was made,” Ohio State team physician Jim Borchers said last week. And that’s all we really paid attention to.”Big Ten protocols say that athletes who test positive through point-of-contact daily testing must take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result. While Wisconsin awaits answers, Big Ten teams continue reminding quarterbacks about the potential risks inherent in this unusual season.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and Wisconsin State Journal both reported that Mertz had tested positive. The Journal-Sentinel reported Mertz’s positive test came Saturday, one day after the Badgers’ 45-7 season-opening home victory over Illinois. Both papers reported that Mertz would be undergoing a second test to determine if the first result was a false positive. Big Ten protocols say that athletes who test positive through point-of-contact daily testing must take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result. Chryst said he has no problem with the Big Ten’s 21-day policy, which is more stringent than those of most conferences regarding players who test positive.

14 Badgers beat Illinois 45-7 on Friday night to open the pandemic-delayed Big Ten football season. Mertz became the first-team quarterback after returning starter Jack Coan underwent foot surgery on Oct. 7, leaving him out indefinitely. After Illinois fumbled the ball away on the game’s second play from scrimmage, Mertz hit fullback Jason Stokke for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Mertz responded to Illinois’ touchdown by throwing a 34-yard completion to Ferguson and then hitting the senior tight end again for a 14-yard score with 1:06 left in the half. After Illinois went three-and-out on its next series, Mertz threw deep and found Danny Davis for a 53-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left until halftime.