Nebraska is responsible for Nebraska's demise.
Had they stayed in the Big 12 and not help to break it up, they would still have exposure to Texas recruits. When they left the Big 12, their ability to recruit anyone out of the Lone Star State pretty much dried up over night. They got uppity and didn't realize they were cutting off their nose to spite their face.
Tech went to the CWS a couple of years later, and my group decided to stay in Lincoln to use points for a free hotel room. We were in walking distance to that little restaurant/bar district just southwest of the UNL campus, and found ourselves talking to some Nebraska fans in one of the local bars. They were in full regret mode on leaving the Big 12. Said they hated the BIG, that tOSU and Michigan were way worse than UT, that they no longer had any natural rivals, no recruiting pipeline, etc. Totally had buyer's remorse on the move to the BIG.