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http://www.huskerextra.com/articles/...f193106110.txt

Multiple Texas media outlets reported Saturday night that Nebraska and Missouri have two weeks at the most to decide if they want to remain in the Big 12 Conference or instead entertain potential offers from the Big Ten.

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne told the Journal Star on Saturday night that he was unaware of the deadlines presented in the stories.

“I really don’t know what the final parameters are,” Osborne said. “I really can’t comment. The agreement when I left (the Big 12 meetings) Thursday was that (conference commissioner) Dan Beebe and (Texas president) William Powers would do the speaking.”

The Austin-American Statesman cited “two highly placed officials of two Big 12 schools” who said Nebraska was told at this past week’s Big 12 meetings in Kansas City, Mo., that it has until 5 p.m. this Friday to say what it is going to do.

One official told The Statesman it’s possible that deadline could be extended to June 15.

Beebe told reporters after the Big 12 meetings’ conclusion Friday that he wasn’t going to discuss any deadlines on when he’d want commitments from schools.

“A process has been set,” he said. “It’s firm, but I’m not going to engage in what that is.”

Osborne was asked if it was possible that a deadline was set without him knowing, given that he left Kansas City on Thursday before the school presidents’ final meeting Friday.

UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman declined comment after Friday’s meeting and couldn’t be reached Saturday night.

“I really haven’t had a chance to have an in-depth discussion with Harvey since Friday,” said Osborne, adding that they’ve spoken only briefly since the meetings ended.

Orangebloods.com, a Texas Longhorns site that is part of the Rivals.com network, reported anonymous sources saying that Nebraska is seen as critical to holding the Big 12 together by the schools determined to keep the league alive.

Orangebloods is reporting that Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado are the three schools holding up the Big 12 from moving forward as a conference.

Two sources told the website that Missouri is eagerly hoping for an invitation from the Big Ten, while Nebraska appears to be on the fence about whether to hold out for a possible Big Ten invite or move back to the table with the nine schools determined to keep the Big 12 alive.

If Nebraska were to part ways with the Big 12, it reportedly could open the door for the Pac-10 to target six Big 12 schools: Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado or Baylor.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany will meet with his conference chancellors and presidents today in Park Ridge, Ill.

Delany said a couple weeks ago that a Big Ten decision on expansion was still months away, adding that “if you think there will be any earth-shattering announcements on June 6, I don’t think you’ll get them.”

It remains to be seen if recent news will change Delany’s timetable in any way.

Osborne did hold a Friday morning meeting with athletic department staff and coaches to apprise them of the latest developments on the conference realignment front.

On Saturday night, Osborne told the Journal Star: “Eventually all the facts will come out.”