A lower ceiling? They played in the playoff dudeBeing a worse football team, doesn't exactly equate to being a worse program. The most recent 5 years doesn't define a program. Nebraska still recruits better than MSU, despite Nebraska being in its worst stretch of history, and MSU being in their best.
I agree Nebraska isn't the best place to be a head coach, possibly not even in the top 25..but MSU has a lower ceiling imo. If you weigh only recent success as your indicator of a program than i could see your point