These days, the prospect of the Big Ten expanding to more than 11 schools is producing a bumper crop of scuttlebutt. On Monday, a Kansas City radio station reported that Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame and Rutgers all had been extended "initial offers" to join the Big Ten. Last week, an Indiana radio station reported that Missouri was joining the Big Ten and that Nebraska, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Pittsburgh were likely to follow soon. About a month ago, some media outlets reported that Pitt was going to become the league's 12th member. It's hard to know what to believe, but there's way too much smoke for there not to be some sort of fire. For now, college officials are frantically trying to whisk away the smoke. Nebraska is denying the latest report. Missouri is saying it won't respond to speculation. Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt said he doesn't know what's going on (which was pretty much his MO when he was the Bears' coach). Many Rutgers officials were quoted over the weekend as saying they're not sure why they would want to be part of the Big Ten. http://qctimes.com/sports/college/big-10/iowa/article_385a89a4-5cb1-11df-b195-001cc4c002e0.html
