Nebraska Football: Cornhuskers To Big Ten May Be Sooner Than We Thought

It's finally, actually, officially done, well at least the application is.

Nebraska to the Big Ten.

Or uh, I mean...the new Big 12?

Whatever you want to call it, that is what is happening today in the capitol city of Nebraska. Speculations have abounded in recent weeks and finally we have something written in stone.

Nebraska will apply for Big Ten membership.

It's what all of us expected, some feared, but most anticipated positively. Gone are the days of grumbling against the Texas-run Big 12 and gone are the days of no-back-boned leadership in a conference like Dan Beebe.

But WHEN are these all gone?

When speculation started, Nebraska fans and Big Ten fans assumed that the formation of a super conference would cause the Big 12 to run its course for at least two more years into 2012, in some cases people thought it would take as long as 2013 or even 2014!

Instead, Harvey Perlman (UNL chancellor) informed a room full of reporters and Husker fans that it is anticipated that Nebraska will athletically compete with the Big Ten as soon as 2011.

Next season.

UNL is moving forward rapidly so that they don't get hoodwinked in the situation and if the Big Ten accepts (which they most likely will) Nebraska will move immediately into the conference as academic partners.

As soon as the 2010 school year begins, Nebraska is academically a Big Ten school. So those who jumped the gun and projected into 2012 as the first season seem to be off base.  

It seems that this is the last year of the Big 12 for Nebraska and the move to the Big 10 is going to happen quicker than we all thought. In 2011 Nebraska will be playing Iowa instead of Iowa State, and Illinois instead of Missouri.

Things are about to change, and change fast, Husker fans, hold on to your seats, it's going to be a wild ride!