Stock up, stock down for Wisconsin football after Week 8 loss to Ohio State
Wisconsin football stock report after the 34-0 home loss to Ohio State. Who’s rising, who’s falling, and what it means heading into Week 9.
The Wisconsin football team (2–5, 0–4 Big Ten) didn’t just lose to No. 1 Ohio State; it got humbled in front of its own fans again.
A 34–0 shutout at Camp Randall marked the second straight week Wisconsin failed to score a single point for the first time since 1977. That’s the kind of stat that feels almost impossible in today’s era of college football. But this is the reality now. The Badgers are a bad football team.
It’s been more than a year since Wisconsin last beat a Power Four opponent, and this latest performance offered little evidence that a breakthrough is coming anytime soon. The offense was lifeless. The defense played hard but was severely outmanned and overworked. And the atmosphere inside the stadium reflected a fan base unsure of how much longer it can keep supporting the on-field product it’s watching.
Head coach Luke Fickell is fresh out of solutions and is leaning on the same recycled catchphrases that don’t seem to mean much anymore. But after back-to-back shutouts and a stretch of football that’s testing the program’s very foundation, words don’t carry much weight anymore.
It’s hard to ignore the pattern. Fickell’s postgame remarks have become almost scripted, owning the loss, questioning his team’s preparedness, and admitting he doesn’t have answers. It’s a cycle that’s played out after nearly every low point of his tenure, and lately, it feels less like accountability and more like acceptance. The language hasn’t changed, and maybe that’s the problem, because neither has Wisconsin’s trajectory.
“They see the zero on the scoreboard too,” Fickell said. “You go back to work, you’ve got to find some positives, and you’ve got to trust each other. It’s not easy, but this isn’t an easy game. And, it sure as hell isn’t easy when you are trying to figure out who your quarterback is, and you’re bouncing back and forth. Hope is one of those things you have to find from within.
“I know it’s a hell of a lot harder for some people on the outside to see some hope when you see zeroes on the scoreboard. I think these guys that are in it every day see something a lot different.”
Still, even as Wisconsin’s season continues to spiral, a few players continue to compete and flash signs of life. Others? Their struggles were more evident. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at whose stock is rising and whose is falling after Wisconsin’s Week 8 loss to Ohio State.
📈 Stock up: P Sean West
In Wisconsin’s loss to Ohio State, redshirt freshman punter Shawn West finally got his shot to play and made the most of it.
The Mequon native handled six of the Badgers’ seven punts, totaling 324 yards for an average of 54 yards per kick, including a long of 62 yards. Three of West’s punts were downed inside the 20, and four traveled 50-plus yards, showing that the former Kohl’s Kicking All-America Honorable Mention has the kind of leg that can flip the field and be a difference maker, something UW has lacked in nearly every other phase this season.
“What an incredible job he did,” Fickell said of West. “Sean has just shown us over and over again on a consistent basis that he has a really, really good leg. Last year, his ‘bads’ were bad and his goods were really good, but the consistency just wasn’t there. This week, we talked with the guys, and there was an opportunity to go with Sean and give him a chance.”
Even on a broken play, West turned a potential disaster into one of the game’s few highlights, scrambling for a 20-yard gain on 4th-and-19 to pick up a first down. Notably, West’s run was the second-longest of the season for Wisconsin. While Atticus Bertrams still appears to be the preferred short-field option for pinning opponents deep, West showed more than enough to earn additional opportunities moving forward.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound specialist from Homestead High School has continued to get more reps at punter while also handling kickoff duties with the scout team. A former high school kicker, West said he got some chances to kick field goals in the spring but has been waiting his turn behind two seniors. His long-term goal? To start at all three positions: punter, placekicker, and kickoff, before his Wisconsin career is over.
📈 Stock up: LB Mason Posa
Freshman linebacker Mason Posa, out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, continues to make the most of his limited reps.
Against Ohio State, Posa logged 24 defensive snaps, finishing with two total tackles, two pressures, and a team-high 72.1 overall defensive grade. His 72.1 in run defense, 81.9 tackling grade, and 67.9 in coverage reflect the all-around game that Wisconsin’s staff envisioned when they landed the former blue-chip recruit as a member of the 2025 recruiting class.
“You went to that hope,” Fickell said postgame, referring to the reality of Wisconsin being forced to test their depth after a string of injuries. “And all of a sudden you get a guy like Mason Posa — he’s thrown in there and he’s going to play Will linebacker, and he’d been playing Star linebacker all week, and he goes out there and plays pretty darn well.”
Posa’s instincts and physicality stand out every time he’s on the field, and it’s clear the coaches trust him to play in multiple roles. Despite not being in the system for long, the 6-foot-3 inside backer has shown he can maximize every snap and make plays whenever his number is called. Simply put, Posa’s a gamer. Given the current state of this football team and, to a lesser degree, the defense, expect his snap share to continue growing. Posa appears to be a legitimate building block for the future.
📈 Stock up: RB Gideon Ituka
In a game where Wisconsin’s offense couldn’t generate much of anything and the entire position group was pretty banged up, redshirt freshman running back Gideon Ituka quietly provided one of the few bright spots.
The often-overlooked tailback led the team in rushing with four carries for 35 yards, including a 17-yard burst late in the fourth quarter, and finished with a 72.5 offensive grade in just nine offensive snaps. Ituka also posted a 78.8 rushing grade, per PFF, forced two missed tackles, and picked up 20 yards after contact, which is a testament to his physical running style.
“He’s a load,” Fickell said of Ituka on his weekly radio show. “He didn’t hesitate at all. That was his first real live action, and it was impressive to see the way he went about it, playing with energy and physicality.”
While Ituka’s production came late against Ohio State’s reserves, his decisiveness and willingness to hit holes between the tackles stood out. He kept his legs churning through contact, laid his body on the line as a blocker, and played with the kind of effort that jumps off the screen, and the type of physical edge Wisconsin’s offense has been sorely missing.
At this stage, with Wisconsin’s offense searching for answers, it’s worth taking a closer look at players like Ituka who run with purpose and aggression. He made the most of his limited opportunities and might’ve earned himself a longer look in short-yardage situations moving forward.
The 5-foot-9, 227-pound tailback might not have the same burst or raw talent as some of his counterparts, but his running style is noticeably different: more compact, more physical, and better suited for grinding out tough yards. That contrast could open the door for running backs coach Devon Spalding to work him into the mix as the season winds down if he keeps playing like a guy determined to be part of this program’s future.
📈 Stock up: LB Cooper Catalano
After flashing against Iowa, Cooper Catalano has more or less staked his claim as someone who needs to be a big part of Wisconsin’s defense.
The in-state linebacker from Richfield (Wis.) logged 36 defensive snaps against Ohio State, compared to 25 for Tackett Curtis, signaling that the staff is starting to trust him in meaningful situations. His 58.2 overall defensive grade and 64.1 mark in run defense don’t jump off the page, but the effort certainly did. Catalano led the team with eight total tackles (seven solo) and added one tackle for loss, continuing to play with heart and intensity in a season where those traits have been in short supply.
Nothing about the game looks too fast for him. Catalano plays fast, hits hard, and always seems to find his way to the football. He plays with urgency, and it’s clear he cares, which are qualities that define what this program has always been about. Between Catalano, Posa, and Christian Alliegro, who broke his arm in the first quarter against Ohio State, put on a cast, and played 62 defensive snaps, Wisconsin’s inside linebacker room looks like one of the few position groups you can believe in long term.
In what’s increasingly feeling like a lost season for the Badgers, Catalano’s emergence stands out as something tangible to build on. At this point, it’s simple: keep getting him onto the field — he’s earned it.
📈 Stock up: DL Ben Barten
Graduate defensive lineman Ben Barten has quietly been one of Wisconsin’s most consistent and dependable performers up front this season, and his effort against Ohio State was another example of that.
The Stratford (Wis.) native was credited with three total tackles, including one for loss, and added a pass breakup while earning a 61.2 overall defensive grade from PFF and a 64.3 mark as a pass rusher. Barten was active and disruptive throughout the contest, helping anchor a front that continues to fight despite being overworked and outmatched.
After adding significant weight during the offseason, now up to 330 pounds, Barten’s presence at nose tackle has become a stabilizing force for this defense. Barten is one of the more cerebral players on the roster and understands his role, consistently executes it to the best of his ability, and refuses to let effort slip, even in a difficult season.
Thus far, Barten owns the highest defensive grade of his Wisconsin Badgers career at 69.9, per PFF, a testament to the strides he’s made. His impact doesn’t always show up in the box score, but for a player tasked with doing the dirty work inside, Barten has been a bright spot, and a reminder that not everyone on this football team has stopped fighting.