HuskerBoard

That's not true, just ask a Texas fan.  It's our fault the Big 12 folded.

Yeah, this was reasonably well known at the time. The sticking point was either Texas Tech or Baylor, neither of which the Pac-10 wanted - and, of course - the Longhorn Network, which Texas refused to give up.

That's the whole reason Colorado bolted from the Big XII. They saw the writing on the wall - Texas & Oklahoma leave, then Nebraska leaves, and they're stuck in what's basically a slightly better version of the Sun Belt with no marquee matchups on their schedule anymore.

And remember, Missouri was openly begging to be taken in by the Big Ten, and that was causing a little consternation throughout the Big XII.

So Colorado left, then Nebraska realized the instability that put the conference in, especially with Missouri also trying to leave, so they pulled the trigger on their long-time "what if" conversations with the Big Ten and joined up. Which was a shocker to all of us who hadn't been privy to those back room conversations throughout the years.

Nebraska's dalliance with the B1G predates all of this, though--Nebraska was part of a five team group (Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, A&M, and Missouri) that was privately talking with the B1G about moving over after Texass went and got their Longwhorn Network started. 

We know this because it was confirmed by a current Big XII AD (read: either Oklahoma or Kansas) to the Omaha paper. It's what put us on the map with the B1G when A&M f****d up that deal by being greedy f***s. 

@VectorVictor My understanding was the Pac-10 move by the South teams was largely submarined by Texas, not A&M.

@knapplcThat's correct. What I'm saying is that there's another move in here that is important to discuss. 

Timeline (though it's nebulous--a lot of this was happening at the same time/overlaps other events) 

• Texass gets Longwhorn Network, scuttles possibility of Big XII network with ESPN or Fox because of this. 
  
• Group of five (Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, A&M, Missouri) start talking with B1G about moving to their conference
  
• A&M scuttles group of five B1G deal because they're myopic, greedy f***s. B1G has already done homework on all schools involved. 
  
• Texas starts dalliance with Pac-12 after catching wind of possible B1G move falling through, wants to bring at least four Big XII South schools over (and Colorado IIRC).
  
• Pac-12 have a handshake agreement with Vermin, but there are numerous issues: a "Tech Problem" (as it was described by Ohio State in how Texass would sell the dregs of the Big XII to the then Pac-10), Texass didn't want to give up Longwhorn Network, and other schools balk at handing over third tier television rights (something that still haunts the Pac-12 Network--everyone has their own third tier channel/rights, which is a clusterf***). 
  
• Missouri starts cozying up with the B1G, Colorado starts flirting with the Pac-10 while Texas does their dance with the Pac-10. 
  
• Nebraska reaches out to B1G, B1G realizes this is a better deal, chooses Nebraska. 
  
• A&M strikes out on their own, solicits SEC. Finds willing moving buddy Missouri on their doorstep freshly dumped by the B1G. 
  
• Colorado goes to the Pac-12. 
  
• Oklahoma's AD publicly announces they're hitching their schooner to Bevo (a move that AD later admits was folly)
  
• Texass stays, is large fish in a smaller, algae-infested pond. 
  

What I find interesting is that had Nebraska NOT reached out to the Big Ten, maybe they take Missouri to get to 12 and kinda consider themselves done expanding.  Does A&M find a moving partner in Nebraska?