Upon announcing that they would be tackling the expansion issue, the Big Ten stated that it would likely take anywhere from 12-18 months before the issue was ultimately decided.
According to at least one report, however, the timetable has been accelerated. A lot.
Per Ben Maller of the Fox Sports Radio Network, Pittsburgh will be announced as the 12th member of the conference no later than Thursday of this week.
Maller reports that some athletes at the university have already been informed of the move from the Big East, which should send a giant red flag shooting up the speculation pole as no one in their right mind would let a bunch of teenagers in on a development this big.
Our opinion all along has been that Pitt, along with Missouri, would be the two likeliest candidates to make the move, but it would seem highly implausible that a group that just a month and a half ago announced they would be exploring the idea would have reached a conclusion after a mere 45 or so days had passed.
Stranger things have happened, but we’re tempted to file this one in the “Premature Speculation” folder located near the official CFT waste container.