1) Google "NLS nebraska." They have an actual good ol' boys club that you become a member of for donors over a million bucks. It's a big status thing in nebraska. Kinda like being a member at Augusta.
2) Howard Hawks. Big time billionaire who owned an energy company before he croaked. If you see an athletics facility in Lincoln he paid for either all or part of it.
3) Only one football program in the state.
4) Much larger enrollment means more alumni, more alumni means larger donor base.
5) Donor base like most things nebraska-related is living in the 90s and still thinks their program is a relevant national title contender.
6) Way bigger corporate donor base vs Iowa. For some reason probably stemming back from when they were good, they have a big list of a lot of large companies shooting money at them. Werner, Runza, nebraska Furniture Mart, a bunch of large banks, etc..
7) They come from the B12 which was where the really big, oil magnate-esque, mega mega donors like Pickens held court. Texas A&M, Okie State, Texas, Oklahoma...all had literally billions thrown at them so they had to get in that mode too. I think a big part of it is a holdover from that. Iowa's never been in that situation or prominence before.