CHARLOTTE, NC – Wisconsin Badgers captured the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the trophy that came with it.
And then they broke it.
As he danced to celebrate his team’s 42-28 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday, defender Graham Mertz dropped the Lenox piece of football-shaped crystal, leaving it broken on the locker room floor after falling from the base.
“I just wanted everyone to have a piece of that trophy,” joked Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst.
Mertz had three touchdowns, and Wisconsin turned four interceptions in the second half, all made by different players, into 21 points to turn a tight game into a near rout of the demon deacons. Five players scored touchdowns for Badgers.
Mertz, a redhead, threw 130 yards and ran for two short TDs, while Wisconsin (4-3) finished a rocky 2020 season on a high note.
“Yes, I got rid of him,” Mertz said with a shudder. It happened.”
But don’t worry, Mertz managed to “fix” the trophy by applying a bottle of Duke mayonnaise on top, as evidenced by his Instagram story.
Badgers may be willing to forgive him.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.