SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

NU to Big 10 as early as Friday?
By Lee Barfknecht
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — An executive at a Big 12 school relayed to The World-Herald on Tuesday that he expects Nebraska to become a member of the Big Ten as early as Friday.

NU Chancellor Harvey Perlman has declined all interviews about conference realignment and expansion. He is expected to address the topic with the Board of Regents at its Friday meeting in Lincoln.

Direct confirmation from Nebraska of a conference change for the Huskers wasn't immediately available. Sources at two other Big 12 schools told The World-Herald that their athletic directors have instructed them to be ready by week's end for a briefing on probable Big 12 changes.

Nebraska A.D. Tom Osborne offered implicit confirmation Tuesday night that the timetable on national conference realignment has been accelerated.

On his monthly appearance on the Husker Sports Network, Osborne said:

“I think before too long — I don't know exactly what that time frame is — we'll be able to put this to bed,'' then he jokingly added, “because I'm getting tired of it.''

The Big Ten first revealed on Dec. 15 that it was considering expansion, and that it would take 12 to 18 months to act.

Now, six months after that initial announcement, multiple sources have indicated that the Big Ten is prepared to add one to five schools (including Nebraska), and that the Pacific 10 is courting all six schools from the Big 12 South Division.

“There's a lot of information we really don't have right now,'' Osborne said. “Hopefully we'll get these put together in the next few days.

“Anything I would say regarding Nebraska's position or other schools in the Big 12 would be pure speculation. And I don't think that's very helpful.''

Another issue Osborne addressed is recent speculation that he has a personal grudge against Texas or that he is basing decisions on some hatred of the Longhorns.

“We certainly don't have anything against anybody in the Big 12,'' Osborne said. “This decision is not going to be based on animosity or petty jealousy. You're talking about something that could maintain for the next 75 to 100 years.

“This is a big deal in terms of the University of Nebraska. It's a big deal for other institutions. You don't ever make a decision based on personal likes and dislikes.''

Osborne said he gets along “very well'' with Texas A.D. DeLoss Dodds, and is a “great admirer'' of UT football coach Mack Brown.

“This is not a case of reacting to any one school,'' Osborne said, “particularly Texas.''

Earlier Tuesday, The World-Herald requested an interview with Dodds. His spokesman, from Austin, Texas, said Dodds was unavailable because of a personal commitment.

The_Legend_of_Northwest wrote:I hope this is true.

June 9, 2010

Source: Nebraska regents clear path to Big Ten
Chip Brown
Orangebloods.com

A source close to the Nebraska Board of Regents told Orangebloods.com the regents met informally Wednesday and have agreed to move to the Big Ten and that a formal announcement Nebraska is leaving will come Friday.

Sources close to Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech have suggested to Orangebloods.com over the last week that if Nebraska leaves, the Big 12 can't be saved.

A Fox television report out of Ohio said Nebraska now has an invitation from the Big Ten.

One of the reasons given for Nebraska's importance to the league is because the relationship between Missouri and the rest of the Big 12 has soured beyond repair.

And to complicate matters for Missouri, the Tigers appear to be falling down the list of priorities for the Big Ten.

An athletic director with knowledge of the Big Ten said, "Missouri is getting cold shoulder from Big Ten."

Joe Schad of ESPN reported Wednesday that the Big Ten list of interest for expansion goes like this: 1) Notre Dame 2) Nebraska 3) Rutgers and/or Maryland.


NOTRE DAME'S CALL

The future of the Big 12 appeared to hinge on the Big Ten's deliberations with Notre Dame. The Big Ten has promised Notre Dame it will stop its expansion at 12 schools if Notre Dame agrees to finally forgo its independence and become part of a conference, an athletic director with knowledge of the Big Ten has told Orangebloods.com.

Notre Dame is apparently locked in a battle among its Board of Trustees about what to do. There are some who fear the Irish being left out of the formation of what could well become four, super conferences in college athletics. That could cost Notre Dame its access to a BCS bid.

The Big Ten has also given indications it will go east and possibly raid anywhere from one to three schools from the Big East, where Notre Dame plays its other sports, leaving the Irish scrambling even more.

In the ultimate irony, the only way Notre Dame may be able to avoid the super conference scenario is by doing what it least wants to do: give up its independence and lucrative NBC/Comcast contract and join a conference.

Sources have told Orangebloods.com the Big Ten would not be handing out any more invitations if Notre Dame agrees to join the league. An AD source reaffirmed to Orangebloods.com Wednesday that "there is a timeline involved" between Notre Dame and the Big Ten.

Joe Schad of ESPN reported this week Notre Dame doesn't appear to be budging.

The longer there is silence about Notre Dame's intentions, the more reason to believe Notre Dame could remain on its own.

Mister B wrote:I for one, don't think Nebraska will leave the Big 12 without an official invite to join the Big 10.

It would be interesting to know what is being discussed at this time at the Big 10 Conference headquarters in Park Ridge, Illinois in reference to potential expansion.

bigtimehitter wrote:It will be official tomorrow morning, the Huskers are comin to the Big Ten, was reported on ESPN this morning, Mizzou will soon follow if and when they get the invite. Bad thing is I'm afriad PAC-10 is gonna become the first true megaconference, they will get the entire Big XII south

Orange and Brown wrote:

bigtimehitter wrote:It will be official tomorrow morning, the Huskers are comin to the Big Ten, was reported on ESPN this morning, Mizzou will soon follow if and when they get the invite. Bad thing is I'm afriad PAC-10 is gonna become the first true megaconference, they will get the entire Big XII south

I have heard that the Big Ten +++ is starting to cold shoulder MIZZO now.