More: Purdue could be without offensive weapons vs. IU; notebook | Coordinator's Corner: Nick Holt ($) | Senior vignettes: Bentley, Hunte, Mahoungou, Robinson | Players grasp Bucket stakes

Analysis ($): Most important matchup | Vs.: Players or coaching?

Maybe now isn’t the best time.

Purdue may be on the verge of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2012 — and staring down rival Indiana to accomplish the feat — and with so much at stake in the present, maybe asking Boilermakers if the season is defined as a success regardless of Saturday’s result isn’t fair.

Because in the one-game season mantra of Jeff Brohm, his players aren't technically supposed to be focusing on anything other than, well, one game.

It just so happens there’s only one guaranteed game left.

Just so happens it’s against a bitter rival for a trophy that most of Purdue’s players have never touched.

Just so happens it’s not only the chance to earn another game but one that would give Purdue an opportunity to finish over .500 for the first time since 2011.

There’s little doubt Purdue players have grasped the magnitude of Saturday’s game, a noon kickoff for “all the marbles,” as senior linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley called it. Fellow senior Gelen Robinson said Purdue’s seniors have never played in a more meaningful game. Not hard to figure that, considering this is a program that’d won only nine games in the previous four seasons.

So the five victories the Boilermakers have seized this year are significant. The three victories against Big Ten opponents are important — Purdue had only three total in the Darrell Hazell Era. The defensive transformation is borderline ridiculous, slashing yards and point totals at a nation's-best-type of rate. The willingness for Brohm to adjust offensive style — nearly from week to week — is telling.

All are tangible signs of considerable improvement.

The behind-the-scenes changes may be even more remarkable and imperative to this clear resurgence.