how long before one is at risk for losing "blue blood" status?
The criteria are subjective but there probably is some requirement for present day/recent success befitting of a blue blood .. blue bloods are expected to be elite .. there has to be more than just total wins, most of which are meaningless
I defined an elite season (worthy of blue blood status) as a top 10 finish or major bowl appearance (NY6 equivalent)
The last blue blood worthy season Nebraska has had dates all the way back to 2001 (nearly 2 decades)
Listed is what other blue blood programs have accomplished since that time (2001)
Texas - 7 top 10s, 5 major bowls, 1 nat title
USC - 9 top 10s, 9 major bowls, 2 nat titles
Alabama - 12 top 10s, 9 major bowls, 5 nat titles
Michigan - 5 top 10s, 6 major bowls
OSU - 15 top 10s, 14 major bowls, 2 nat titles
ND - 3 top 10s, 5 major bowls
OU - 11 top 10s, 13 major bowls
Penn State - 5 top 10s, 4 major bowls
Nebraska is the only program without an elite season in the past 5 years
Nebraska is the only program without an elite season in the past 10 years
Nebraska is the only program without an elite season in the past 15 years
we need to start producing or we are going to get kicked out of the club