CHARLOTTE, NC – Wisconsin badgers captured the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the accompanying trophy.
And then they broke it.
As he danced to celebrate his team’s win over Wake Forest on Wednesday 42-28, quarterback Graham Mertz dropped the Lenox piece of football-shaped crystal, leaving it shattered on the floor of the locker room after falling from the base.
“We wanted everyone to have a piece of that trophy,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst joked.
Mertz represented three touchdowns and Wisconsin converted four second-half interceptions, all from different players, to 21 points to turn a close game into an almost Demon Deacons defeat. Five players scored touchdowns for the badgers.
Mertz, a red-shirt freshman, threw 130 yards and ran for two short TDs, while Wisconsin (4-3) finished a rocky 2020 season on a high note.
“Yeah, I dropped it,” Mertz said shyly. To happen.”
Badgers might be willing to forgive you.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.