The next team on the schedule provides both a blessing and a curse for the suddenly reeling University of Wisconsin football team.

The Badgers were sailing along, winners of their first three games, ranked No. 9 and with a season of unlimited possibilities in front of them.

Then came the crushing 27-25 loss to Michigan Saturday -- dropping the Badgers to 18th in the media poll and 17th in the coaches' poll -- that has the power to change everything. Or nothing.

The next game against

No. 14 Ohio State at Camp Randall Stadium Saturday night should clarify that. With such a highly anticipated game this week, the Badgers have no time to lament blowing a 19-0 halftime lead against the Wolverines.

It was the first time they lost a game while leading at halftime in three years under coach Bret Bielema, having gone 19-0 before that. "It's kind of exactly what we expect," senior linebacker DeAndre Levy said of the team's mood. "Everyone is kind of down. We realize the opportunity that was out there and how we kind of lost it, kind of gave it away, didn't capitalize on things. You can see it kind of on everybody's faces, the way everybody's going about things."

It was up to the four senior captains -- fullback Chris Pressley and guard Kraig Urbik from the offense, Levy and tackle Mike Newkirk from the defense -- to address reporters Sunday night after watching the Michigan tape and going through a light practice.

"It's definitely part of the leadership thing," Pressley said. "We've got to put it on ourselves. If we're going to sit here and be the face of the team when we're winning, we've got to be it when we're losing, too."

Once the Badgers start watching tapes of the Buckeyes, it should help point their attention forward.

"There's not really much room to be feeling sorry for yourself there," Newkirk said. "We've got an even tougher team coming in. They are everything that everybody thinks they are and expects them to be. They're Ohio State. We're going to have to prepare as such."

While that should help the Badgers put the loss behind them, it isn't the way they hoped to begin a daunting three-game stretch that includes a home game against No. 6 Penn State the next week.

"It can go either way," Levy said. "It can be a good thing or a bad thing, but I think everybody's focus is really on Ohio State and Michigan is out of our system now."

Pressley said he was upset watching the Michigan tape because on top of all the missed opportunities, he also saw a lack of effort at times.

"I saw some things on film, I was (ticked) off at,'' he said. "I was like, Some of this effort isn't good enough.'

"Some guys weren't playing how I thought they should have. There's no excuse for that. Coaches saw it, players saw it. It's just one of those things, it's really disappointing to see coming in Sunday, watching film. It just frustrates you."

When asked if it happened before or after building the halftime lead, Pressley said, "A little bit of both."