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.