For those of you that think the state of Nebraska fits in better culturally than they did in the Big XII, to you I say, get out of the city. Other than Omaha/Lincoln (where you would fit in culturally with most bigger cities in the country), the rest of the state is culturally similar to the Kansases, Oklahomas, and even Texases of the world. Nebraska, geographically, is part of the Great Plains. The majority of the land in the state is agricultural ground, with most of that being rangeland for grazing. Does that sound more like Oklahoma or Ohio? You get west of Highway 81 and north of Hwy 30, and this state is culturally identical to Kansas/Oklahoma/most of Texas, whether that's a good or bad thing is debatable. If I have to hear another person truthfully think that Nebraska fits in culturally better with the BIG than the Big XII, I will drown a kitten.
I grew up in the country. I had a 400 acre field across the road to the north and a 200 acre field across the road to the west. I know very well what it's like to live in rural Nebraska, and I very much disagree with you on the culture being similar, especially throughout the Big XII.
Next to nothing in Texas is like Nebraska (I have family there). The culture is quite different, and I do not understand the pining for those schools - with the exception of A&M, who were good folks. I don't miss Texas, Texas Tech or Baylor one bit.
The only school with any kind of nostalgia would have to be Oklahoma. We steamrolled most everyone in the Big 8 for decades - the draw was an easy win. Their fans barely traveled here, and when we went to their stadiums there were more Nebraska fans there than Jayhawk fans, Cyclone fans, Wildcat fans.
Your understanding of the geography of Ohio is pretty poor. Ohio has a greater percentage of farmland (about 55%) than Nebraska (less than 40%). Outside of the large cities every single state has rural communities. Wisconsin is a major farming state. Iowa is a wash (Iowa/Iowa State). Illinois is a major farming state, rural areas outside of Chicago are nearly spot-on identical to Nebraska rural communities (I have family there).
Save the kitten. Do some research.