The second half between Michigan and Wisconsin began with a really serious injury. Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz had to leave the game after taking a brutal shot to the ribs from Wolverines defensive back Dax Hill.
Michigan dialed up a delayed blitz to throw Mertz off on third down. Unfortunately for Mertz, he was unable to protect himself on the play.
Immediately after taking that hit from Hill on third down, Mertz stayed on the floor for a few minutes. He was evaluated in the medical tent before heading to the locker room.
At this time, Wisconsin has listed Mertz as questionable to return with a chest injury.
Here’s the play where Mertz got injured:
The good news for Wisconsin is that Mertz gave his teammates a thumbs up before he left the field. Another encouraging sign was that he walked off the field under his own power.
Mertz, who has struggled for the majority of this season, was actually playing pretty well against Michigan.
In the first half, Mertz completed 8-of-15 pass attempts for 115 yards and a touchdown. He showed major improvement from last week’s start where he threw four interceptions against Notre Dame.
We’ll provide more updates on Mertz’s status when they’re available.