Posted this in another thread, since it's an actual news journalism source, instead of UTs puppte (Chip Brown) I though tit deserved it's own thread.
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/06/09/...g-Ten/landing.html?blockID=250141&feedID=3724
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/06/09/...g-Ten/landing.html?blockID=250141&feedID=3724
By Jeff Seemann
Fox Sports Ohio
June 9, 2010
After a weekend of denials and hushed discussions, the Big Ten will expand to 12 teams as early as Friday. Reports are emerging that the Nebraska Cornhuskers will become the 12th team in the league.
The Big Ten has officially offered an invitation to Nebraska.
Over the weekend, the Big 12 Conference demanded a loyalty pledge from all of its' members, and only 9 teams complied. Two of the three holdouts, Nebraska and Missouri, were given until this Friday to decide if they wanted to stay in the league, and the ultimatum has apparently pushed the Huskers into the Big 10.
“I think before too long — I don't know exactly what that time frame is — we'll be able to put this to bed,'' said Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne, “because I'm getting tired of it.''
The Big Ten had announced plans to explore expansion six months ago, but had placed a 12-to-18 month timetable on the matter. But as other conferences began the same discussions, each league found themselves pushing up their plans. The Big Ten will be the first conference this year to grow.
The Big 12's ultimatum appears to have been the deciding factor, but Osborne downplayed that possibility.
“We certainly don't have anything against anybody in the Big 12,'' the former Husker coach 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."
An official announcement is expected by Friday afternoon, but a press conference could be held as early as today.
With Nebraska moving to the Big Ten, the conference would now be home to four of the NCAA's most legendary football schools. Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan are the league's standard-bearers and a fourth powerhouse would boost the overall image of the conference. Furthermore, it would bring another enormous fanbase into the league.
Memorial Stadium currently averages 86,000 fans per home game, which would give the Big Ten five stadiums that hold 80,000 fans or more. Ohio Stadium, Michigan Stadium, and Penn State's Beaver Stadium each top out at over 100,000. Wisconsin's Camp Randall holds just over 80k.
With the first shift in conference expansion taking place, most college football analysts expect more to occur soon. There is outside interest in adding Missouri to the Big Ten, and the talks regarding Notre Dame has picked up again.