Wisconsin Football Projected to Play Familiar Face in Bowl Game
Nov 19, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) runs with the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
© Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin Football Projected to Play Familiar Face in Bowl Game
We are now in Week 10 of the 2023 College Football season, and the anticipation surrounding bowl game matchups is building. With that being said, Fox Sports has suggested an intriguing bowl matchup for the Wisconsin Badgers. As their first season under head coach Luke Fickell progresses, the Badgers find themselves in a promising position with a 5-3 record and a share of first place in the Big Ten West. While there are still several regular-season games ahead, it is going to be interesting to see how things play out for the team from Madison.
What The Future Holds Could Be Exciting For The Badgers
According to the recent bowl projections put out by Bryan Fischer of Fox Sports, the Wisconsin Badgers are on the path to securing a spot in the Music City Bowl, which will take place on December 30. What is cool is the Badgers' projected opponent in that bowl game is the Florida Gators. A matchup between Wisconsin and Florida in the Music City Bowl would be a fun one to watch as the Badgers would have the opportunity to square off against their former QB, Graham Mertz.
![Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) hands off to running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) during the first quarter of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia defeated Florida 43-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.si.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MjAxOTc4NTY2NjkzMzY1MjU1/usatsi_21775586.jpg)
Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) hands off to running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) during the first quarter of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia defeated Florida 43-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
© Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
How Has Mertz Fared With The Gators?
In four seasons at Wisconsin, Mertz completed 59.5% of his passes for 5405 yards and 38 and 26 interceptions. So far, during his 2023 season with the Gators, Mertz has completed 75.9% of his passes for 2,127 yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with just two interceptions. Like Wisconsin, Florida is also sitting at 5-3 on the season.
A Bowl Game to Watch
The story of Graham Mertz's return to face his former team and coaching staff adds a unique dimension to the potential bowl matchup between Wisconsin and Florida. If the Badgers and Gators continue on their current paths, it's a matchup that is very possible when the bowl games are announced after the season. Though I am still rooting for Wisconsin to run the table (including an upset in the Big Ten Championship Game) and earn a New Year's Six game, a matchup against Florida in the Music City Bowl is much more realistic and would be a solid consolation prize.
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