BadgerBlitz.com returns the weekly 'Stock Up, Stock Down' for the 2024 season. In this series, we'll offer evaluations of players on Wisconsin's roster in the context of their 'stock.' Performance, playing time and opportunity are all factored into the movement of a player's stock.

Vinny Anthony emerged as a big-play threat earlier in the season, and has seen his stock rise exponentially since. The deep threat element he adds to the offense and his blazing speed with the football in his hands has been a huge asset for the Badgers. Against Penn State, however, he proved that he's more than just a boom-or-bust big-play threat. He tallied seven catches as a reliable, high-volume receiver. Prior to Saturday night, his career high for receptions was three. Anthony continues to grow up before our very eyes.

Ben Barten's 55 snaps against Penn State were easily a season and career-high — he hadn't played more than 37 prior. The interior lineman didn't make much of an impact as Wisconsin's trench players got largely manhandled throughout most of the game; he finished with just one tackle. Still, it's important to note Barten's uptick in snaps, as he's likely become the 1A in E.J. Whitlow's room at this point.

Atticus Bertrams has been night and day as a punter from this season to last. In 2023, he averaged 41.3 yards-per-punt. This fall, he's pushed that to 46.3. Last season he only downed three punts inside the 20. He's already done that 14 times this year. He was once again lights out against Penn State, connecting on two 50-plus yard punts, including a long of 63. He also downed two punts inside the 20 and averaged a field-flipping 51.7 yards-per-punt. And his little side-step in the backfield to avoid a Nittany Lion punt blocker and ultimately pick up the first down? That's one of the niftiest moves you'll ever see by a punter.

"Locketober" was fun while it lasted. The sophomore quarterback reverted to his old ways against Penn State with an extremely inefficient passing performance (52 percent completion). He also threw a backbreaking pick-six that effectively gave the Nittany Lions control of the game. He still made some nice throws and although the rough stat-line doesn't show it, he still looks like a more mature passer in 2024. But the turnovers are really beginning to pile up, and Braedyn Locke's audition to be Wisconsin's quarterback of the future took a turn for the worse Saturday night.

Wisconsin's entire pass defense struggled against Penn State, as the Nittany Lions completed a whopping 81 percent of their passes. Notably, backup quarterback Beau Pribula didn't miss a beat when thrust into the game, completing 11-of-13 passes. Still, Nyzier Fourqurean had a particularly rough day. He allowed a completion on four of his five targets, according to Pro Football Focus, and also had a missed tackle. Iowa's passing attack certainly doesn't present as big a challenge this week, but Fourqurean and the secondary will need to step it up against No. 1 Oregon on Nov. 16.

Tackett Curtis has essentially disappeared over the past two weeks. In consecutive games, he's now logged a lowly five snaps. The USC transfer has been a rotational linebacker all season, sure, but he's curiously fallen off the map. It's interesting from a schematic standpoint too, as the past two games presented very different challenges for the Wisconsin defense. The Northwestern game was all about limiting the legs of the Wildcats' mobile quarterback, while the Penn State game was about containing a creative offense with a talented pocket passer and two rugged tailbacks. Thus, this stock down entry isn't necessarily because Curtis has played poorly — he's just not getting a shot.

Make no mistake — the Penn State game was lost in the trenches. Wisconsin's offense line had its worst performance of the season against the Nittany Lions' talented front seven. There was no push up front whatsoever, as non-punter ball-carriers averaged a measly 2.5 yards-per-carry. Each starting linemen either registered their worst Pro Football Focus grade of the season or came decimal places away. AJ Blazek's unit has been a strength, but this was a forgettable performance.

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