I just have to shake my head. If Iowa State is defining itself through others, or other's validation, as you suggest, Iowa fans, such as yourself, are delusional.
Of all the schools in the BIG, only Nebraska means less to that cooshy BTN deal, which pumps massive amounts of TV money into each institution's pockets, than Iowa.
To say Iowa isn't reliant on Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Minnesota, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois and, yes, even Northwestern, while keeping a straight face, is to be uninformed, at best...