It would be the easy thing to do for the Badgers to stick their tails between their legs and lower their heads submissively as a result of the last few weeks' football games.
It would be easy to make excuses and to blame other people for the disappointing season so far. And, with a defense that has given up an average of 41 points a game over the past four games, it would definitely be understandable if the Badgers just threw in the towel and accepted that this year just isn't a bowl year.
Yet, after coming into the season ranked 22nd nationally in the Football News preseason top-25 list and then falling to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, the Badgers have not given up.
\At the start of the season, you want to come in and you want to win the Big Ten Championship and right now that's not a possibility,"" junior flanker Lee Evans said. ""Now we just have to focus on winning the next game and the game after that and the game after that and hopefully then we can get into another one.""
In order to make a bowl game, Wisconsin must win its remaining three games. To do this, the Badgers will have to rely on strong leadership to keep up the team's confidence.
""The coaching staff and everyone has had such a good attitude to move forward. You don't really have a choice to put your head down and so it's not really an option,"" said junior quarterback Brooks Bollinger, who is penciled in as Saturday's starter.
This week's game against Iowa will be another difficult Big Ten showdown for Bollinger and the Badgers. After the Hawkeyes narrowly lost to sixth-ranked Michigan last week, 32-26, and held the Wolverines' offense to a season-low 63 yards rushing and 296 yards overall, Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr called Iowa's defense the best his team has faced all season.
In Monday's press conference, Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Alvarez said he was also impressed with Iowa's offense, especially star wideout Kahlil Hill.
""They've got a lot of weapons and they had a lot of weapons last year,"" Alvarez said. ""[Kahlil] Hill is a guy that when you look at him on the field you're just impressed with his ability and his skills and he's turned into a big play guy other than just on kickoff returns and punt returns.""
As the Badgers continue to try to look to the future instead of dwelling on the past, the team's leaders know that there is a lot more at stake than just a bowl game.
""First off, we have to play as a team, and if anything else, we have to play for pride,"" Evans said. ""Pride for us, for our coaches and everybody who's come through the program. We still have to go out there and do the things that this program was built on. And if we can continue to do it successfully and with some consistency, then we can finish up this season on a good note.\
