DokterZ

Badger fan here. There was an impression that both Husker and Penn State fans had the impression that they would come in and dominate a weak B1G. Some fans even thought that playing the weak B1G teams would hurt their teams by suckiness osmosis or something. So, there is probably some schadenfreude on the part of other fan bases. There are a lot less "helmet" schools these days, and the effects are much smaller. Nebraska no longer has the advantages that they did during their heyday. They need to build in the same manner that other recently successful schools have. This is not to say that you cannot get to the championship level again - it just means that your path will not be easier or faster just because you had success in the past.

I think that currently, Oklahoma would only view Nebraska as it's 3rd biggest rival

Step 1: Be a great team. If the teams in the new B1G West are as mediocre as you have indicated, it should be a simple matter of winning the conference championship game, then two playoff games, to obtain the National championship each year. It will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Full disclosure - I am speaking as a Badger fan. The big changes were lower scholarship limits and cable TV. When I started paying attention to College football, it was all Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, Alabama, USC, etc. The best teams always got the best players, and always seemed to be on TV. I grew up in Wisconsin and never saw the Badgers on live TV until I was out of college. (Yes, I am old) Now, everyone gets all their games on TV, and Notre Dame can't stockpile 5 QBs on their bench. I see the same sort of frustration in Penn State fans. Nebraska also had a lot of success before those changes, and even afterwards. You both still get more respect from the B1G than we do - we have 6 teams in adjoining states, and soon will not be in the same division as any of them. Now it looks like we get our natural rivals Rutgers and Maryland too. Yay, Your path back to the very top of the mountain is going to be more difficult, and if you get there, it will be for a shorter period of time. Enjoy the fact that you have already been there, and may get back before we get there once.