The thing that makes a rivalry is to have high stakes. Winner gets something more than just a lame a$$ trophy. This year, that looks like it could happen. Winner to Indy! Getting to play for a conference title is very noteworthy. If we have a great year and are primed for Indy and get knocked out by a FG against Iowa, the Hawks-Husker series will increase in intensity.
I am ready to say they are a rival just because that would be at least one team that I care about in the BIG. Right now, I look at Wisky, and they are kind of a rival, just because they have run the west and we have not been good. But a one-sided rivalry is like Nebraska-Colorado, where we owned them and they beat us once or twice and thought... rivalry.
Bo was won in 2011 and 2012, lost in 2013, and then won in 2014 before losing his job. It was not much of a rivalry then. Iowa won 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Those losses sting, but I blame the move to Mike Riley as much as I give credit to Iowa.
In the BIG, I think you can see clear references toward Big 8/12 schools. Northwestern reminds me of K-State. Purdue reminds me of Baylor. Wisconsin reminds me of Okla State. Iowa reminds me of Colorado. Ohio State and Michigan are like Oklahoma. Penn State and Michigan State are like Texas A&M....