UPDATE: Nebraska is now officially a member of the Big 10, effective July 2011.
Let the much-expected makeover of the college athletics landscape begin.
The University of Nebraska made the second of what appears to be many moves by officially accepting an invitation to join the Big Ten today.
The school decided to leave the Big 12, a conference in which its athletic teams have competed since the league's inception in 1996, in a board of regents' meeting today. University chancellor Harvey Perlman and athletics director Tom Osborne led the meeting.
Nebraska's switch leaves the future of the Big 12 in question. The last week has generated wide speculation that as many as six of the conference's schools could depart for the Pac-10 to form a 16-team superconference. The possibility of such action gained steam when the University of Colorado announced its intentions to leave the Big 12 for the Pac-10 Thursday.
Rumors have the University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Oklahoma University, Oklahoma State University and Texas Tech University linked to the Pac-10 as well, according to the Associated Press. Texas A&M might also have the interest of the SEC, and the school is reportedly considering such a move, writes ESPN.com blogger Chris Low.
Whether the Big Ten has continued plans for expansion beyond Nebraska's joining the conference remains to be seen. Big Ten officials released a statement Dec. 15, 2009, regarding the possibility that the conference might look to add more schools.
