Who knew 1-4 could feel this good?

During the Badgers’ unfathomably winless Big Ten start, there was no one more critical of the team than me. Paul Chryst for poor play calling, Bret Bielema for the organizational and communication breakdowns, Dave Doeren for a soft defense, the wide receivers for being useless — I blamed them all. And deservedly so.

But I like to give credit where credit is due. This would be one of those times.

Prior to Saturday’s matchup with Illinois, Wisconsin had been outscored 133-46 since halftime at Michigan Stadium. They went from Rose Bowl aspirers to postseason longshots in a matter of weeks. They lost their starting left tackle and right guard along with their confidence and swagger. Their quarterback was booed off the field during a 48-7 embarrassment at home, and everyone from Kenosha to Eau Claire was calling for Bielema’s head on a stick, Lord of the Flies style.

The senior-driven football team had every reason to roll over and die. Few still believed in them after yet another blowout loss, this time to Iowa, and most — including myself — didn’t give them a chance to stop Juice Williams’ potent spread offense and beat the visiting Illini last weekend.

Shows how much we know.

In terms of BCS implications, Wisconsin’s 27-17 victory over Illinois is less meaningful than a Donald Trump parking ticket. The Badgers still rest near the bottom of the Big Ten standings and need more than one measly victory to emerge from those dark, dingy depths. But Saturday, Bielema’s bunch proved something no one can deny: They have a lot more heart than any of us thought five days ago.

Around campus, we mock Bielema’s “1-0” mantra more than Lou Holtz’s game day sermons. At times it may seem silly and trite, but it certainly worked Saturday.

Scrambling for answers following a 22-point loss at Iowa, Bielema asked the athletic video staff to put together an 80-minute compilation of all the positive team plays from the first five games. He played it on repeat in the locker room all last week.

“We played it over and over and over,” Bielema said Saturday. “Hearing the commentators talk about positive Wisconsin football … Hopefully it carried over today.”

The idea may seem elementary, but for a team in desperate need of a midweek morale boost, apparently it was just what the doctor ordered. All week they watched it, and when 11 a.m. rolled around Saturday, they played with energy and excitement, and they executed on both sides of the ball, elements that had disappeared for six long weeks.

Coincidence? You decide.

Bielema often talks about building men as well as football players, and teaching life lessons each week. At the very least, this year’s Badgers will understand that giving up is never tolerated in any facet of life. Chalk that up as a “W” during this victory-deprived campaign.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not one to make mountains out of molehills. I’ve been to every game this season; I’ve seen what you’ve seen. But if you want to scoff at every mistake, it’s only fair to applaud when applause is due.

Is the season still a disaster? Should the direction of this program still be questioned? Should Bielema still be on the hot seat? Yes, yes and yes; one win does not erase what has happened this season. But let’s not forget that football games are means of entertainment, and if you weren’t entertained by Saturday’s come-from-behind victory, why do you bother watching on Saturdays?

If you’re looking for Bielema to become the next Vince Lombardi, head back to Green Bay. He may not recruit like Ron Zook or demand discipline like Rich Rodriguez, but Bielema is doing something right. Saturday’s win doesn’t happen with an unmotivated, fed up, overmatched head coach.

No matter what happens over the next four weeks, the 2008 Wisconsin football season will always be remembered as a colossal disappointment. In four straight losses, the Badgers blew leads, missed tackles and forgot how to stand properly at the line of scrimmage.

But what they didn’t do was give up, even when waving the white flag would have been so easy. And that, like the mistakes, comes from the top.

“We give that victory not to players and coaches, but to our fans and the people that stood behind us and stayed with us through the thick and the thin,” Bielema said Saturday.

At least he recognizes the external frustration. And if you pay to watch Wisconsin play, that’s got to count for something.

Derek is a junior majoring in economics. Is he being too soft? Let him know at [email protected].