The Badgers are faced with a win-or-go-home situation on Black Friday, as Minnesota comes to town looking to reclaim the Axe and deny Wisconsin bowl eligibility. As game time draws closer, here are a handful of key matchups to keep an eye on when the Badgers do battle with the Gophers.

Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke is coming off one of the better statistical performances of his career. While that didn't translate to a win or even a respectable final score, the gunslinger played well. Each of his three touchdown passes was more impressive than the last, and his 292 yards and 66.7 percent completion percentage were both the second-highest he's posted this season.

The Badgers' hopes at snapping their losing streak and keeping the Axe in Madison hinge, in large part, on Locke playing well once again. One of the main factors standing in the way of a repeat performance? Gophers' true freshman safety Koi Perich.

Perich has been a revelation for Minnesota. He's been a regular member of the defense since Week 6 against USC, and he's racked up 34 tackles and five interceptions.

Perich does everything for the Gophers. He returns kicks and punts, and has even played a few snaps on offense. But it's defensively where the freshman shines. He lines up primarily as a free safety, but can also come down into the box as well as play at nickel in the slot. He's already one of the best athletes on the team, and given his rather position-less nature on the back end, he's the kind of defensive back Locke will have to account for on every snap. This should be a fun chess match to watch.

This matchup is critical in many facets, both in the run and pass game. Sophomore tailback Darius Taylor is one of the more talented ball-carriers in the conference. He's managed to stay healthy this year and has 730 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground while averaging 4.8 yards-per-carry. But again, the running game isn't the only place he contributes.

Taylor is Minnesota's third-leading receiver with 48 catches for 320 yards and two scores. For reference, Wisconsin's reception leader (Will Pauling) has 42 catches. In terms of touches, Taylor is easily the top option on this offense.

The halfback's two-way ability is exactly why (A) I expect Christian Alliegro to be responsible for him more often than not and (B) this is a critical matchup. Alliegro's speed and instincts lend themselves to a matchup with Taylor, who he'll likely be chasing out of the backfield all afternoon. And if Alliegro can limit Taylor's impact as a receiver — and it's not easy, as he has at least two catches in every game — that will greatly handicap the Gopher offense.

Cornerback Ricardo Hallman tends to stick to his side of the field, manning the field side of the defense and tending not to trail top receivers despite being Wisconsin's best pure cover corner. But if there was a week to follow a wideout, it would be the Axe Game against Minnesota's star receiver Daniel Jackson.

Hallman should see plenty of Jackson regardless, because the Gophers' other outside receiver Elijah Spencer — who's listed a 6-foot-2 — figures to be matched up with the taller Nyzier Fourqurean.

Hallman's performance will be fascinating. After passing the daunting test Oregon's wideouts pose with flying colors, he struggled against Nebraska. Hallman was beat several times deep downfield. In one instance, he let his receiver get behind him and open in the end zone, but Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola missed the throw. In another instance, he was called for holding on a critical third down after he got beat by a double move route. The Badgers were awful in coverage last week, and no matchup will be more critical to ensuring things change on Black Friday.

At some point, someone is going to have to start winning one-on-one matchups on the edge. The Badgers haven't had an outside linebacker that could do that with any sort of consistency since Nick Herbig, and the two transfers brought in to shore up that position (John Pius and Leon Lowery) have been disappointing as pass-rushers this season.

Win or lose, Wisconsin has hardly generated any pressure at all this season. It created just six pressures against Nebraska last week, and failed to notch a sack. The defense's job would be made exponentially easier if the front seven could begin to pressure the quarterback. It won't be easy against Minnesota's tackles, however.

Right tackle Philip Daniels was inserted into the starting lineup in Week 10 against Illinois. In the three games in which he's started, he's surrendered eight pressures with a pressure rate of about six percent. Left tackle Aireontae Ersery has been even better, allowing pressure on just three percent of his pass-blocking snaps.

As we learned last week, Wisconsin's coverage isn't nearly good enough to allow a quarterback time to sit back and dissect its secondary. If the Badgers' pass-rushers can't break through against a stout pair of tackles, they could succumb to a similar fate.

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