Why Nebraska trying to play outside the Big Ten in 2020 is probably a pipe dream

Before the Big Ten postponed football, Scott Frost said Nebraska is “prepared to look for other options.”

Nebraska football coach Scott Frost was one of several coaches publicly urging conferences to carry on with the 2020 season, despite the known and unknown health risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. And he said Monday that if the Cornhuskers can’t play this season with the Big Ten, “we’re prepared to look for other options.”

But Frost didn’t get his wish. Tuesday, the Big Ten announced Tuesday that it postponed fall sports, including football, and it hopes to put something together for the spring.

The Pac-12 also bowed out of a fall season, but the rest of the Power 5 conferences — the SEC, ACC and Big 12 — currently are still moving forward.

So does this mean Frost and the Cornhuskers would seriously try to play outside the Big Ten if it meant they could play football in the fall? Here’s what Frost said Monday:

“We want to play a Big Ten schedule. I hope that’s what happens. Our university’s committed to playing no matter what. No matter what that looks like and how that looks. We want to play no matter who it is or where it is.

“So we’ll see how all those chips fall. We certainly hope it’s in the Big Ten. If it isn’t, I think we’re prepared to look for other options.”

And when the Big Ten announced the postponement of fall sports, Frost, athletic director Bill Moos and other university officials said in a statement that they’re “very disappointed” by the conference, adding:

“We will continue to consult with medical experts and evaluate the situation as it emerges. We hope it may be possible for our student athletes to have the opportunity to compete.”

That sort of sounds like Nebraska is still open to other options.

With a notable new and temporary exception with Notre Dame and the ACC, schools can’t be in a conference and be an independent, and Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said as much when asked about the idea of Nebraska exploring other options. Via Yahoo Sports:

When Warren was asked specifically by Yahoo Sports if Nebraska could play college football this fall, he gave an answer that would make his hardline predecessor nod with approval.

“No,” he said, firmly. “Not and be a member of the Big Ten Conference.”

More from Warren about Nebraska following the Big Ten’s decision, via ESPN:

“We have 14 schools in the Big Ten conference. I appreciate the passion of all of our schools. I didn’t expect all of our coaches to be ecstatic that the decision was made, so I understand they’re passionate. … My expectation is that when you’re in a conference, you can’t be in a conference and be an independent. That’s where we are. I expect for our 14 members to go forward together.”

Clearly, Nebraska objected to the Big Ten postponing its season, but to try to leave the conference would be a particularly costly decision for the Cornhuskers. As the most profitable conference, the Big Ten had $781.5 million in revenue last year, which led to a payout of about $55.6 million to most of the schools, including Nebraska, USA TODAY Sports reported.

And, for what it’s worth, if Nebraska hypothetically tried to leave the Big Ten and join another conference for this season, returning to the Big 12 is the obvious choice. But Monday, according to the Austin American-Statesman‘s Kirk Bohls, that idea was news to the Big 12.

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