As focused as this University of Wisconsin football team has been through seven games, it's likely no reminders are needed.

But just in case any of the Badgers forget what they're playing for in 2009, their memory is jogged every time they walk into the weight room. There, posted on a door, is a list of team goals for this season:

1. Daily preparation to win.

2. Re-establish Wisconsin football.

3. Relentless toughness.

4. Win for each other.

5. Finish.

Not sure if those goals are ranked in order of importance, but at this point in the season, No. 5 clearly has become No. 1 for the Badgers.

Following consecutive losses to Ohio State and Iowa, Big Ten Conference powers with a combined 14-2 record, UW has a 5-2 mark and is standing at the crossroads of its season. The Badgers need to finish strong to show this team is indeed different than the one that went 7-6 last season.

"Of all those (goals), that's the biggest key," safety Jay Valai said. "You've got to finish. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. We've got to go out there and fight now. Our backs are against the wall. Are you going to punk out or are you going to come out swinging?"

For the last two seasons, UW coach Bret Bielema has relentlessly preached to his team the importance of finishing, whether it is finishing a play, a drive, a game or a season. His players have heard the message because they're always talking about finishing strong in interviews.

Of course, the Badgers spent a lot of time talking about finishing last year and weren't able to do it. But that's history and now is the time for these Badgers to prove that all this talk about finishing is more than a slogan on a wall.

Starting with today's game against streaking Purdue, UW's task is remarkably clear. Rested after a timely bye week, the Badgers have four remaining Big Ten games, all against teams that are tied with them or below them in the conference standings. Then they'll make a trip to Hawaii, where the Rainbow Warriors have fallen on hard times.

Even though every remaining Big Ten game looks tougher today than it did a month ago, it's not out of the question that UW could run the table and go 10-2 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten. To do that, however, the Badgers will have to do something they couldn't do last year, and that's finish.

"The old Wisconsin teams were known for playing four quarters of football," cornerback Aaron Henry said. "One of our main key focuses is finishing this year. Just finishing every play, finishing every drive, finishing every quarter. Just finishing. I think that's going to truly be the most important thing for us this season."

Last year, UW lost close games to Michigan and Ohio State to open the Big Ten season, then got blown out by Penn State and Iowa. The Badgers recovered to win three of their final four Big Ten games, but a near-loss to Cal Poly, a Football Championship Subdivision team, and a blowout loss to Florida State in a bowl game was not the finish they were looking for.

UW led for significant portions of the first half against Ohio State and Iowa this season, then was dominated in the second half of both games. But with plenty of fresh, eager faces and excellent leadership from its seniors, this UW team has shown a different mind-set than last year's club.

"Two totally different situations as far as chemistry, makeup, attitude, leadership," Bielema said. "I felt last year at some points there were times where the guys just let go on the field. I definitely haven't seen that at all from these guys, and don't intend to."

Bielema's players intend to get back to the physical style they flashed when they wore down Michigan State and Minnesota in the second half en route to victories in the first two Big Ten games.

"From what I hear in the locker room, I think guys are ready for the challenge," Henry said. "We're going to be faced with all kinds of things throughout life, especially during the game of football. Things are going to come up you don't think should happen. ... This team is definitely ready to bounce back. We suffered two losses, but we can't let this last loss hit us in the head and continue to let us lose."

And prevent the Badgers from finishing what they started.

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