I don't get why you discount them beating us many times in a row and their conference affiliation.  That is like saying if "I were only 6'8" and super athletic I would be in the NBA, so otherwise I am am an NBA player just like they guys on the court".

EVEN if you say they have had no success nationally, they have had more than us.  Would you rather be:

- Team A: ranked once since 2009 (#25 in 2011).  Have not beaten your rival since 2009 and progressively gotten works

- Team B: ranked in: 2010 (#23), 2014 (#20), 2015 (#16), 2016 (#21).  Beaten your rival nearly every year since 2009, in a P5 conference and seeing improvement.  Years the team was in the running in the P12 until mid/late November.

I don't see how you can make any case that there is not a difference outside of beating us.  Anyone rational would say that Team B is far and away better, especially when the direction of the programs are going i different directions.