Update: This is not just a re-post of the Omaha World-Herald article, that is cited to support speculation that Nebraska will actually join the conference. Multiple sources have confirmed this morning that an official offer has been extended to Nebraska by the Big Ten.
Update two: Orangebloods is reporting that the Nebraska board of regents has given the OK for an formal announcement on Friday.
Update three: ESPN is finally catching up with this story, and reporting similar information regarding Friday’s announcement. Also, according to ESPN
A source close to the Nebraska program told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that athletic director Tom Osborne informed athletic staff members within the past 24 hours that the Cornhuskers were going to make the move to the Big Ten conference.
Update four: Item IV of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents agenda reads as follows: “Resolution regarding UNL athletic conference alignment”. Take from that what you will.
Let the chain reaction begin.
Who will be next? Notre Dame? Missouri? Texas? Someone east?
The speculation has been endless, and will continue until the dust settles on this whole thing (for excellent coverage and speculation about the expansion check out this blog), but having an official offer out there is exciting to say the least and will certainly set the ball rolling on other candidates for expansion.
For what it’s worth, I personally like the idea of adding three (preferably Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Missouri), extending a take it or leave it offer to Texas and A&M, and looking east or back to the Big 12 if they say no for the final two to get us to the super 16.
We will see what happens, but with this move, we should be finding out sooner rather than later.
Check out this great post by the guys over at Black Shoe Diaries for a nice take on expansion and the impact it will have on tradition and whatnot.
My take: Ohio State vs. Michigan is way more important than Pitt vs. Penn State, but the general point remains the same.
Special note of interest, if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten , that is 3 of the top 5 winningest teams in college football history in the same conference. In the somewhat unlikely scenario that Texas came on board as well, bump that number up to 4 out of 5. Throw in Nebraska and that is 6 of the top 10 winningest programs of all time in one conference.
How is that for tradition?
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