MADISON -- Wisconsin envisioned its emphatic 42-7 win over Northwestern earlier this month as the first step to turning around a season that had yet to produce consecutive wins.

"We just needed a win," senior John Torchio said after the game. "Get back in the win column. Winning solves all right. Now it starts. Get the ball rolling and hopefully we build on this.

"Great win but let's stay focused, let's keep this rolling. We don't want to feel what we felt earlier in the season."

Instead, when the Badgers walked off the field the next week in East Lansing, they left behind an opportunity to come out with a victory on a day it didn't play its best ball. A 27-yard throw and catch in the second overtime capped a 34-28 loss to the Spartans.

"Just kind of in disbelief," Nick Herbig said of his emotions after the game. "We worked our tails off and had a great week of practice. I thought we were playing a good game and just for it to happen like that, it kind of sucks. To see that one slip right out of your reach, that’s tough. It’s tough to lose like that."

The loss adds a chapter to what has been a season filled with more lows than highs.

The team has a losing record seven games into the season and, while every defeat is tough, none of the losses have come without a deflating feeling attached.

A Week 2 stumble against Washington State, where Keeanu Benton thought the team gave up after going down three.

An embarrassing 52-21 loss on the road to Ohio State.

A 34-10 defeat at home to Illinois, highlighted by a lifeless performance in the second half. Wisconsin came into the contest winners of 11 of the previous 12 meetings.

The latest addition: a double-overtime defeat against Michigan State on the last play of the game.

Sandwiched in between Illinois and Michigan State was a coaching change from Paul Chryst to Jim Leonhard.

"It’s been a roller coaster, man, to be honest with you," Heribig said. "I’d be lying to you if I said everything was good, but as a leader, as a captain, I have to hold it together. I have to hold it down for this team regardless of how I am feeling, regardless of what anyone else is feeling or what anyone else thinks.

"This is my team and I’m going to continue to lead them the best that I can. I’m going to put my pads on every Saturday. I'm going out there and I'm going to make something happen."

Now preparing for a matchup with Purdue, Wisconsin has to gather its composure and pick itself up once again. It's been a consistent theme of the year.

"It’s something that I’m used to," Benton said. "I love these guys to death, which is why I put my body on the line no matter what. But like I said, sometimes you don’t get the results that you want and you have to keep finding ways to push."

After the game against Buckeyes, the three captains - Benton, Herbig and Graham Mertz -were the only ones to speak with the media and put the blame on their shoulders. The trio took responsibility for leading the team through the rut. Once again, the group will be asked to pick the Badgers up.

"It’s been different," Mertz said. "Any situation like this whether it’s a football season or it’s been life. Anytime that things kind of stack up like that, you really got to dig into your foundation and your ‘why.’ Just what gets you going on a daily basis.

"I know how to pick myself up, I know how to pick this team up and I know there is bright stuff in the future. You can never lose sight of that."

The team will have to win three of its final five games to become bowl eligible and extend the program's streak to 21 years. Fighting for bowl eligibility is a far cry from lofty championship aspirations Wisconsin had coming into the season.

"I ain’t never been part of a season like this," Benton said. "Just figuring out a way to overcome adversity is something that we’ve been challenged with this whole year, so we’ve got to keep pushing and hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel."

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