Listen to the comments between Scott Frost and Jeff Brohm earlier this week and you’d think there was some serious tension between Purdue and Nebraska. Almost as if this week’s game carried the weight, and implications, of Saturday night’s showdown between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 9 Penn State.

“We get a game we can win next week,” Frost said after getting thumped by Michigan.

Brohm was asked about that comment during his weekly press conference. He tried to play it off, but it was obvious the Boilermakers head coach was irked.

“I think everything that’s said is heard,” Brohm replied.

How fun is this going to be in a few years?

The brief quibble between Frost and Brohm drew the attention of both fan bases immediately. But it was a story that, basically, had a one-day shelf life. Not many folks outside of Lincoln and West Lafayette are paying much attention to a minor back-and-forth between two coaches who currently own a combined 1-6 record.

Aside from the Husker and Boilermaker fans, there probably won’t be a lot of people tuning into Big Ten Network at 3:30 p.m. ET to catch this matchup, either.

Purdue and Nebraska enter this weekend in similar spots, and not just from a record perspective. There are two coaches attempting to construct a blueprint to help sustain success. Brohm and Frost have agreed to roll up their sleeves and navigate their respective teams out of the darkest periods of each program’s history. Fans on both sides have expectations of division crowns and B1G titles.

But that road to Indianapolis is still an awfully long drive for both the Boilers and the Huskers.

In a few years though? Those jabs that Frost and Brohm delivered will turn into week-long content for anyone near a microphone. Eventually, the yearly Purdue-Nebraska matchup in the B1G West is going to resemble something like Penn State-Ohio State. At least as far as the divisional race is concerned.

And if you don’t believe that’s the case, just look at the work both coaches have done on the recruiting trail.

Brohm and Frost are in the process of locking up top 30 recruiting class — Nebraska ranks 24th and Purdue 27th currently, according to 247Sports. The Boilermakers and Huskers each have four 4-star prospects verbally committed in the 2019 class.

The message is the same from both coaches: if you want to be a playmaker in a fast-paced, high-scoring offense, sign on the dotted line.

It’s working. It’s already worked.

While we’ll still have to wait a few seasons for these recruiting classes to arrive and blossom, Purdue and Nebraska already have their cornerstone athletes in place.

Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

For the Boilermakers, it’s Rondale Moore, the electrifying wide receiver who decommitted from Texas to be a key cog in Brohm’s offense. After four games, he’s leading the B1G in receiving yards (372) and all-purpose yards (732) and is already a two-time conference Freshman of the Week.

Then there’s Adrian Martinez, the dual-threat quarterback who agreed to take the keys and drive Frost’s Nebraska version of the “UCFast” offense. The freshman was stellar in his first career outing, completing 15-of-20 passes for 187 yards with a touchdown against Colorado. He added 117 yards and a pair of scores on the ground before leaving the game with a leg injury.

At least with Moore and Martinez on the field we’ll get a temporary peek into the future. And this head-to-head contest should probably be viewed through that lens.

Saturday’s game isn’t really about the present. Yes, both teams want to secure their first B1G win of the season. There could be some postseason stakes on the line. But the result this weekend, big picture, is irrelevant.

To put it not-so-kindly, it’s college football’s version of The Ugly Duckling. Both teams have to go through some growing pains before transitioning into swans. Two really fast, high-scoring, explosive swans.

Purdue-Nebraska 2018 is a preview of what’s to come.

Let’s hope the war of words between Frost and Brohm is a precursor, too.