The NFL preseason provides some weird connections that you never thought possible as a college football fan. You often see college rivals playing alongside each other or two different eras of NCAA greats competing for the same spot. For Wisconsin fans, it was the alternate timeline of Graham Mertz throwing a touchdown to Quintez Cephus in a "what could have been" moment.
In a competition for a roster spot game, the two former Badgers connected to give the Houston Texans a 17-7 lead over the Detroit Lions.
Did you ever think you would see Graham Mertz throwing a TD to Quintez Cephus
— Dr. Marte (@Badgers_44) August 23, 2025
pic.twitter.com/HzQUEseZLE
Graham Mertz and Quintez Cephus provide an alternate reality moment for Wisconsin fans
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What makes the connection interesting is that these two were teammates for one season, but never connected as Mertz was a freshman and only got in during garbage time. However, there was hype for that 2020 season when Mertz would get a chance to actually connect with Cephus. But the star wide receiver went on to the NFL draft.
Mertz would go on to start seven games in 2020 (which was all that was available in the pandemic-shortened season). He was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in Wisconsin Badger history.
Cephus, on the other hand, was a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Lions and went on to play in 13 games, bringing in 20 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns. He was looking primed for a big NFL career, but in 2021, he was hit with an injury that ended that season, and he has struggled to regain his form ever since.
Both Mertz and Cephus are trying to prove that they deserve an NFL roster spot. Wisconsin fans would never have guessed a handful of years ago that the first time Mertz and Cephus would connect would be in an NFL preseason game for the Houston Texans for a touchdown—weird alternate reality sort of stuff.