The rumor mill is heating up. A report from Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald indicates that Nebraska could be headed for the Big Ten as early as Friday.

An executive at a Big 12 school relayed to The World-Herald on Tuesday that he expects Nebraska to become a member of the Big Ten as early as Friday.

NU Chancellor Harvey Perlman has declined all interviews about conference realignment and expansion. He is expected to address the topic with the Board of Regents at its Friday meeting in Lincoln.

Sources from two other Big 12 schools tell the World-Herald that their ADs have told them to expect an announcement -- one way or the other -- by the end of the week.

If Nebraska bolts, then the Big 12 will likely start to crumble.

An early guess at what this means: Missouri would follow suit and join the Big Ten (assuming Notre Dame doesn't) and the entire Big 12 South could join the Pac-10. That would leave Kansas and Kansas State without a home.

The rumor mill has been churning heavily in recent weeks and it appears there will be some actual news by week's end.