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I've heard from plenty of you (mostly Nebraska fans) who disagree with my assessment that the Cornhuskers deserve the greatest portion of blame for a Big 12 breakup. That's not to say they deserve all of it. In retrospect, I should have made that clearer.

There's a ton of blame to go around. Much of it intertwined.

Texas didn't want to give up the rights to broadcast its games and possibly pursue the option of a Big 12 Network, for obvious reasons. They're the only team in the league who could pull off their own network, even if it was a longshot.

Missouri perhaps gazed too longingly at the Big Ten, hoping to join, fostering more instability in a clearly unstable league.

And though Texas couldn't promise to stay if Colorado and Missouri left, Nebraska staying would have made it a much more viable option and an easier sell for commissioner Dan Beebe.

But Nebraska blinked first -- and to their benefit. They don't have a responsibility to help their Big 12 North brethren. As the Husker brass, and other athletic directors, have repeated ad nauseum, their responsibility is to do what's best for their university. Moving to the Big Ten was their best option.

It also meant making the first move. A move that no one should question. But it could lead to the Big 12's eventual breakup.

And what, exactly, is so bad about being blamed for the breakup of a conference? Dirty looks? Arkansas did it to the Southwest Conference. They're doing just fine and collecting $17 million checks in the SEC.

Nebraska will be better off too. Well done.

I just got off of a teleconference with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, Michigan State president Lou Anna Simon, Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman and Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne about Nebraska becoming the 12th member of the Big Ten.

There are so many subtopics to discuss in the coming months, but here's a bit more about what we know now:

Further Big Ten expansion: It definitely could happen. Delany and Simon both said the league remains within its 12- to 18-month time frame to study expansion and could act again depending on the climate. The Big Ten only acted now because of circumstances with the Big 12 and Nebraska. Delany admitted the league might not have been ready to act three months ago. The Big Ten now will return to "the slower tempo sort of game" with expansion, but Delany said the league is prepared to act quickly again. "We have two-thirds of study period left to go and we’re real anxious to work with Jim and others around the next step," Simon said. Added Delany: "If we can be as successful with a 13th or 14th member as we were with Nebraska, that would be great."

Championship game: Delany has never been rah-rah about them, but he expects the Big Ten to begin playing a championship game in football in 2011. Venues and locations haven't been discussed, but Big Ten associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner and others will begin examining the possibilities. Feedback from athletic directors and coaches will be gathered before any decisions are made. "It’s important to get it right, and there’s no silver bullet," Delany said. "There will be different views on it."

Division alignment: The Big Ten also must figure out divisions in the coming months. Delany listed three main criteria for sorting them out: competitive fairness, maintenance of rivalries and geography. He stressed that competitive fairness is the No. 1 priority, which I believe to be the correct approach. Geography shouldn't determine divisions. You don't want another Big 12 South scenario.

Scheduling: Osborne hinted that the number of conference games could increase in the new Big Ten. He expects at least three nonconference games and, like many Big Ten athletic directors, wants to keep as many of those at home as possible. The Big Ten's challenge will be figuring things out for Nebraska's arrival in September 2011. "Mark Rudner and Mike McComiskey have done a lot of models," Delany said. "The issue for us it the short turnaround."

Rivalries: Delany has often talked about the intimacy of a league and how vital rivalries are to its fabric. "They're part of who we are," he said Friday. But he added that rivalries have to be evaluated independently to see which ones are worth preserving in an expanded league. "We’re going into this with the idea that rivalries really matter," Delany said. "But not all rivalries are equal."

Timeline with Nebraska: Delany and other Big Ten officials met with Nebraska officials three or four weeks ago to have informal discussions in an undisclosed location (it wasn't Lincoln, where Delany made his first trip Friday, or Chicago). Osborne also had briefly discussed expansion with Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel and Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez (a former Nebraska player and coach), both of whom told him the Big Ten was considering the Huskers. The process only really heated up after the Big 12 issued stay-or-go ultimatums to its members. If the Big 12 -- and Pac-10 -- didn't speed things up, the Big Ten would have continued to move along slowly. But Nebraska seems happy with the way things worked out. "We don’t feel like we’re walking into a room of strangers," Perlman said. Added Osborne: "We feel we share a lot of common values with what we know of Big Ten institutions."

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany followed his protocol, placing a call to Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe on Friday morning to notify him that they would be accepting Nebraska's application into the Big Ten.

Beebe had no further comments on Nebraska's departure, calling it "disappointing."

But Delany didn't mention another team looking for inclusion to the Big Ten, Missouri.

"My understanding is there aren't any other conference members considered by the Big Ten," Beebe said.

That's a big uh-oh in Columbia for a school that's turned the Forgotten Four into the Forlorn Five over the course of the past week. Missouri may end up getting a Big Ten invite when the conference makes its next move toward expansion, something Delany said could happen in the future. But Delany, altering his previously stated timeline, shows just how badly he wanted the Huskers in his league.

"We were ready to move more quickly when this opportunity arose,” he said.

But it also shows that Missouri won't be placed on the fast track for membership. And if five Big 12 South teams split for the Pac-10 next week, Missouri's position in the league will only become more awkward. With the Big Ten still in play, don't expect Missouri to fully commit to the other four teams whose best bet include a partnership with the Mountain West Conference, Conference USA, or obliterating the Big 12 for a move to the Big East.

"When 'the dust settles,' Mizzou will be in a strong position nationally," athletic director Mike Alden said in a statement. "We don't know the timeline of all of these activities, so your patience and commitment is appreciated."

Alden has a lot of faith, and he should. As the head of the athletic department, he has to. He didn't place any qualifiers on that statement. But the second half is more telling: Missouri may still have to abide by the Big Ten's original timeline.

In short, Missouri's future could be in limbo through 2010 and into next year. How far -- and if it ends -- is up to Delany.

Delany apologized on Friday for leaving schools unsure of their future. Clearly, Missouri falls under that umbrella.

Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman pointed to comments from Missouri "not fully supportive of the Big 12" as a reason for leaving, and it was a good one. That's not going to change until an opportunity to join the Big Ten is completely off the table.

Missouri deserves a good amount of blame in a Big 12 breakup, too, but unlike Kansas and Kansas State, they can't fully commit to a cleanup -- however that ends up looking.

If Missouri spends the next six to 12 months riding the fence between committing to the remaining members of the Big 12 and positioning itself for an invitation to the Big Ten, its relationship with schools like Kansas and Kansas State will only splinter further. And unless that invitation to apply arrives in the end, Missouri better get used to a whole lot of awkwardness.

Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman and athletic director Tom Osborne stood before the university's board of regents, and if there was a shred of doubt among the board, there couldn't have been when the two men finished.

They confidently laid out a compelling case for the program they love so much to shift its affiliation to the Big Ten, and anyone who voted against the motion might not have made it out of the meeting room alive.

But twelve sure-voiced "yes" votes later, Nebraska's board of regents unanimously approved submitting an application to the Big Ten.

Osborne got out in front of the criticisms, knocking them out one-by-one like he did 25 straight opponents in 1994 and 1995 on the way to back-to-back national titles.

Financial risk? Nebraska is submitting its application with the assurance that the university not receive any less money from the Big Ten than they would from the Big 12, and allowing the conference to ease them into full financial membership.

People who want to paint the Huskers as disloyal?

"Schools that were urging us to stay had talked to as many as three conferences," Osborne said. "At that point you begin to wonder where you’re going to get yourself if you make a commitment."

Concerns over increased --and more difficult -- student athlete travel?

"We may have to fly a little more, the connections will be a little bit better," Osborne said. "We will not spend any more time on the road -- maybe less."

You're just mad about the conference's shift to the South, Tom!

"You don’t make a decision of this size based on where you’re going to play the Big 12 championship game," Osborne said. "That’s not even an issue."

So what happens when Nebraska's recruiting trail in Texas stops being beaten?

Osborne admits they may lose a few recruits in Texas, but they won't stop recruiting the state, and have now gained access to states like Ohio. And with more national broadcasts -- even in nonrevenue sports -- on the Big Ten Network, they may be able to recruit the oft-mentioned Sun Belt more than some people realize.

You won't hear an argument from me against the Huskers leaving. Not that I want to see them go, but Osborne and Perlman both made the case that Nebraska is better aligned with the Big Ten academically, culturally and even in climate. He twice took a poll of coaches and administrators to gauge their feelings on a move to the Big Ten, and like the board of regents, they unanimously supported the move.

It was a smart choice. But Nebraska, don't try to shill the idea that you didn't break up this conference. That instead, Texas, Missouri or Colorado is to blame. The big fault in Perlman and Osborne's presentation to the board is its obvious self-contradiction.

Perlman confirmed that schools were given an ultimatum at last week's Big 12 meetings. Texas said if Missouri left, it would stay and not leave for the Pac-10. The same for Colorado.

"They could not commit if both left," Perlman said.

But if Nebraska stayed, Texas made it clear they would, too.

Then, minutes after Perlman chastised Missouri for its wandering eye, saying that school officials' statements did not demonstrate a clear commitment to the Big 12, Osborne passed the onus for the Big 12's looming end off to Texas.

"One school leaving does not break up a conference. Two schools leaving does not break up a conference," he said. "Six schools leaving breaks up a conference."

So, to be clear, Texas says they'll stay if you stay. Then you leave. I'm not saying it's a bad decision, but if we're placing blame for decimating the conference, point to Lincoln.

They may not be the grenade, but Osborne knew by leaving, he was pulling the pin. He emphasized that all discussions in Kansas City were "professional and civil," emphasized his respect for leaders like Texas' DeLoss Dodds and hoped they felt the same way about him.

Well, they might, but you're not helping when you give them no choice but to stay in the Big 12 and lose money or leave and make more.

So, please, Nebraska. Spare us your deflection of blame. You made the decision (an easy one) that was right for your university. That's your right. I applaud that. I would have made the same decision.

But if the Big 12 ultimately ceases to exist, it's your fault.

It will take some time to get used to the Big Red in the Big Ten.

College football is built on tradition and long-term associations, and Nebraska always has been linked to Colorado, Oklahoma and others from the former Big 8. It'll feel odd to see the Huskers invade the Big House, The Horseshoe, State College and even Iowa City.

That's OK. Change isn't supposed to feel normal.

But give it time and you'll realize that these Huskers are a lot like you.

They love to run the football! They love walk-ons! They don't mind cold weather!

They boast loads of tradition in football -- Nebraska is the fourth winningest program of all time and owns five national titles -- complete with legendary coaches (Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne) and unforgettable players (Mike Rozier, Dave Rimington, Johnny Rodgers), just like your favorite teams. College football is everything to their fans, just like it is in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Iowa. Their fans live in the same area of the country and treasure the same values in both football and life as you do. Nebraska is an Association of American Universities member, just like the rest of the Big Ten.

I've never been to a game in Lincoln, but I can't wait to see one. You should be fired up, too.

Many folks went into this thinking only Notre Dame and Texas would add great value to the Big Ten. I'd like to direct you to Forbes' list of the most valuable college football teams. Texas and Notre Dame are Nos. 1 and 2, but Nebraska comes in at No. 4 with a team value of $93 million and a profit of $49 million. Nebraska is ahead of both Ohio State and Michigan in the rundown.

Need more evidence? Nebraska apparently was valuable enough to several Big 12 South schools to determine whether they stay in the league. Although Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman said Friday that one school leaving a conference doesn't break the conference (six schools leaving does), all eyes were on the Big Red.

"I [asked Big 12 presidents] 'What if Nebraska stayed and Missouri left?' Perlman said. "The response was that they would stay. I said, 'What happens if Nebraska stays and Colorado leaves,' and the response was they would stay. I said, "What happens if both Missouri and Colorado leave and Nebraska stays?' And they could make no commitment that they would then stay in the Big 12."

So Nebraska matters, people. And it will be a strong addition to the Big Ten.

Just think of the potential rivalries. Farmageddon between Iowa and Nebraska. The Barry Alvarez Invitational between Wisconsin and Nebraska. Put Nebraska against Penn State, Michigan or Ohio State, and TV execs will drool.

I don't like shaping divisions based on geography, but Nebraska certainly strengthens the western edge of the Big Ten. While I'd urge Jim Delany to break up the Ohio State/Michigan/Penn State bloc, a division with Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa looks pretty solid.

Notre Dame and Texas would be slam-dunk additions to the Big Ten, but both schools bring different types of baggage with them. Nebraska isn't a prima donna. And the Huskers really, really like the Big Ten.

You might shake your head in disbelief when Nebraska plays its first Big Ten Conference game in 2011. But before long, you'll nod and see that this makes too much sense.

It's a big day for Nebraska and a different kind of day for Missouri.

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said on a conference call that the Big Ten isn't pursuing any other Big 12 teams but Nebraska. At least for right now.

"My understanding is there aren't any other conference members being considered by the Big Ten," Beebe said.

Things could always change, and Missouri would be on the Big Ten's radar if it has a Phase 2 to expansion. But the folks in the Show-Me State can't be feeling too comfortable right now, especially after all of Missouri's public talk about wanting to be in the Big Ten. Keep being that proud member of the Big 12, and, as always, stay classy.

Nebraska has formally applied for membership in the Big Ten, and listening to chancellor Harvey Perlman and athletic director Tom Osborne, it's easy to see why.

Perlman and Osborne gushed about the Big Ten at the Nebraska Board of Regents meeting Friday, as the school took another step closer to officially switching leagues. They identified Big Ten strong points such as stability (especially in relation to the Big 12), academic excellence, the Big Ten Network and tradition.

Even Big Ten weather, which always seems to be a knock against the league, actually appeals to Nebraska.

"We're obviously not [located] in the Sun Belt," Osborne said. "And we find some of our sports at a disadvantage because of that. Most young people who are golfers or play tennis or play baseball or play softball, sometimes even soccer, would prefer to go someplace where they can practice outside year-round. ... So we would probably be having, in comparison, more of apples to apples [with Big Ten teams]. It doesn't mean that we can't compete.

"We can compete, but it's just more difficult."

Stability clearly was the big selling point for Perlman and Osborne, who didn't want to commit to a league they didn't believe was viable in the long term. They clearly viewed the Big Ten, both athletically and academically, in a different light.

"The Big Ten is all members of the AAU, which is of considerable importance when you try and recruit faculty, when you seek research grants, when you do other things in the academic environment," Perlman said. "The Big Ten operates the Big Ten Network. It will allow all Nebraskans to see almost all of Nebraska's competitive games: not just football, not just men's basketball."

He also pointed out the Committee of Institutional Cooperation and its benefits on research for a university.

"This will bring Nebraska the stability that the Big 12 cannot offer," Perlman said.

Other quick hits from Perlman and Osborne:

• Osborne said there won't be an immediate financial windfall for the athletic department for joining the Big Ten.
  Perlman said Nebraska expects to be an equal financial partner in the Big Ten eventually, which shouldn't be a problem.
  
• Osborne said that aside from short trips to Kansas and Kansas State, the Big 12 has a similar footprint to the Big Ten, and the Big Ten would provide easier air travel because it has more schools closer to major airports.
  
• Osborne on recruiting: "Sometimes you hear people say, 'Well, this will really affect your Texas recruiting, and it might.' We will continue to recruit Texas. We will continue to get some players out of Texas, maybe not as many, but we certainly can get more, probably, in the Midwest and the East Coast." Does he know something about the Big Ten's next expansion move?
• Perlman expects to hear "relatively quickly" whether the Big Ten's Council of Presidents/Chancellors has voted in Nebraska as a new member. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has said this will be a quick process, and no one will be embarrassed by it. Translation: We'll get a formal announcement soon.
  
• Perlman acknowledged informal discussions took place between Nebraska officials and Big Ten officials, but things didn't really pick up steam until Wednesday, when Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe called and asked for Nebraska to make a commitment to his league.