Five minutes after Nebraska’s shock-inducing flip on Friday from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, we’re guessing most Husker fans were already sizing up the new league. How would NU fit in with its family of 11 new competitors? Here’s our take, at least for six men’s sports and six women’s sports.

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FOOTBALL

Current Nebraska team status

To find the last time Nebraska won 19 games over a two-year span, you would have to go back to the 2000 and 2001 seasons. So assuming coach Bo Pelini keeps NU on the right track, it could head into Big Ten play looking more and more like the Huskers of old. Nebraska shared a Big 12 North title in 2008 while going 9-4 in Pelini’s first season, then followed with an outright North championship and 10-4 finish last fall. At the end of those campaigns were bowl wins over BCS conference opponents. The Huskers have rebuilt themselves with an amazing turnaround on defense, which included leading the nation in fewest points allowed in 2009. Also in the works is a renewed commitment to running the football and being more physical offensively. Take note of that last part, because the Big Ten might not be “three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust” anymore, but it’s closer to that style than what Nebraska tried to become briefly with the West Coast offense. One last note on Pelini: He knows his way around the Big Ten from growing up in Ohio, playing four seasons at Ohio State and spending one year as a graduate assistant at Iowa.

Big Ten status

First glance would say that Big Ten football will be a drop-off from the Big 12, which has sparred with the SEC for national bragging rights in recent years. According to the Jeff Sagarin computer ratings, the Big Ten has ranked sixth, sixth, sixth and fifth among BCS conferences since being No. 1 in 2005. The Big Ten has produced just one national champion in the last 12 seasons (Ohio State, 2002), and some of its big-game failings under the BCS format have been well-documented. Michigan split a national championship with Nebraska in 1997, but the titles won by Penn State in 1986 and ’82 were before the Nittany Lions bumped Big Ten membership to 11 schools. But with those three — and their storied programs and legendary 100,000-seat stadiums — the Big Ten is hardly lacking for clout or cache. Michigan is down, but Iowa is rebounding (11-2 last season) and Wisconsin has been the picture of consistency with nine or more wins five times in the last six seasons. On the opposite end, however, is the fact that Indiana, Northwestern, Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue have failed to win with regularity and robbed the Big Ten of any top-to-bottom strength. Even the bad games are sometimes fun, though, with such prizes as Floyd of Rosedale (Iowa-Minnesota), the Old Oaken Bucket (Indiana-Purdue) and the Little Brown Jug (Michigan-Minnesota) part of Big Ten falls that are littered with rivalries and trophies that go way back.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

Nebraska will be expected to barge into the Big Ten as a prominent player, a main reason the Big Ten welcomed NU in the first place. NU hasn’t seen a Big Ten team since beating Michigan in the 2005 Alamo Bowl, but it owns a 31-6 record against current Big Ten members since 1970. Ohio State is coming off an 11-2 season and Rose Bowl victory, and could see some No. 1 consideration in preseason polls come August. Beyond the Buckeyes, others currently in Top 25 mode are Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin. If the Big Ten devises some kind of East-West alignment, how fun would Nebraska-Iowa become? The Hawkeyes and Penn State have visited Memorial Stadium in the past decade, but imagine what Ohio State or Michigan games might be like there. Travel obviously changes, as NU goes from having four Big 12 North rivals less than five hours away to just one Big Ten school that close. They like their stadiums big and bigger in the Big Ten — eight seat 60,000 or more — but Nebraska is no crackerbox. It immediately will rank No. 4 with its current capacity (81,067) and is discussing potential expansion of Memorial Stadium.

— Rich Kaipust

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Current Nebraska team status

There’s no place to go but up. The Huskers went 2-14 in the Big 12 last season (the most league losses in school history) and 15-18 overall (the first losing season in seven years). But a down year because of injuries and youth wasn’t a surprise after Doc Sadler had gone 6-10, 7-9 and 8-8 in his first three years of Big 12 play. The next two seasons is when NU expected to make a move, which would be just in time for entry into the Big Ten.

Big Ten status

The Big Ten was comparable last year to the Big 12. Both leagues finished with four teams in the Top 25 (No. 4 Michigan State, No. 6 Kansas, No. 7 Kansas State, No. 10 Baylor, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 12 Purdue, No. 24 Wisconsin, No. 25 Texas A&M). Overall, five Big Ten schools have won national championships (Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin), and three others have reached the Final Four (Iowa, Illinois, Purdue).

Where Nebraska would fit

The Big Ten’s more physical and defense-oriented style would appear to benefit the Huskers, who like to bump and grind. The highest scoring team in the Big Ten last year was Northwestern at 68.7 points. That would have been 11th in the Big 12, just a shade ahead of last-place Nebraska at 66.5 points. The focus for NU, regardless of the league, is to get its practice facility and new arena built, then turn those plusses into better recruiting.

— Lee Barfknecht

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BASEBALL

Current Nebraska team status

The Huskers have missed NCAA regional play in two straight seasons for the first time since 1998. Basically, coach Mike Anderson’s program is in decline after nine postseason bids and three trips to the College World Series from 1999 to 2008. NU has endured two straight non-winning seasons, failing to make the league tournament in 2009 and 2010, and NU has won just 19 of its past 60 games against Big 12 competition. Hit hard by the pro draft in 2007 and 2008 and perhaps again this year, Nebraska boasts a nice collection of young talent, but must improve player development to regain its spot as a national contender.

Big Ten status

The Big Ten would represent a huge step down in league competition for Nebraska. No league team has appeared in the College World Series since Michigan in 1984, and this year marked the third time in the past five years that the Big Ten placed just one team in the 64-team regional field. Of the Big Ten’s 106 all-time postseason bids, 70 belong to Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have qualified a league-high 30 times but last advanced to Omaha in 1977. Ohio State and Penn State play in nice facilities, but for much of the cold-weather league, baseball is an afterthought. Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern and Indiana have combined for just 11 NCAA bids, including one since 1996. Wisconsin has not sponsored baseball since 1991.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

A move to the Big Ten likely would not bode well for NU. Nebraska isn’t about to reduce the resources it devotes to the sport, considering its recent success, fan interest and the school’s investment in Haymarket Park. NU would arguably rank immediately as the league’s most prominent program. But recruiting might suffer, and the Huskers could no longer rely on a challenging league schedule to boost their RPI. At-large NCAA bids don’t come easily in the Big Ten. Additionally, travel would be tough. The weather is bad for much of the season, and pitching staffs struggle with depth because of the league’s four-game weekend series scheduling.

— Mitch Sherman

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WRESTLING

Current Nebraska team status

Nebraska has finished in the top 10 at the NCAA championships five times in the last decade, but the Huskers had a down year in 2009-10. NU went 0-5 in Big 12 duals and finished last in the five-team conference. NU tied for 12th in team scoring at the NCAA tournament at Qwest Center Omaha in March. It’s a young team that does return 2009 national champion Jordan Burroughs, who took a medical redshirt this year after season-ending knee surgery.

Big Ten status

If the Big 12 isn’t the best wrestling conference in the nation, the Big Ten is. All 11 of the conference’s schools have wrestling programs, and five finished in the top 10 in team scoring at this season’s NCAA tournament. Iowa easily won the national title, the storied program’s third in a row and 23rd all-time, and had three individual champions. Minnesota has won three national titles in the past decade, and Penn State is on the rise and coached by former Iowa State legend Cael Sanderson.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

NU coach Mark Manning and his program have a lot of work to do. He’s never placed a huge emphasis on regular-season conference duals — in his eyes, a team is judged by its performance at its conference tournament and at nationals. That viewpoint may have to change now that NU will be in a 12-team (at least) league. Recruiting will be paramount in the Big Ten, where a very good class can be considered average when compared to the Big Ten’s annual hauls. For instance, NU’s 2010 recruiting class is ranked No. 6 by InterMat, but Big Ten schools own the nation’s top four classes.

— Max Olson

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MEN’S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Current Nebraska team status

The Nebraska men’s track and field team has always been a Big 12 power, and the program appears to be on the rise of late. The Huskers won their second straight conference outdoor team title in May, the first time in league history that a school has defended its outdoor crown. They’ve finished first at the Big 12 outdoor meet six times, which is more than any other team. Nebraska has never won an NCAA championship, but it always has a significant presence on the national scene. Thirty-two NU athletes have earned individual titles under 30-year coach Gary Pepin. Just last year at outdoor nationals, four Huskers combined for five All-America awards.

Big Ten status

It’s no surprise that the Big Ten programs don’t have the same national notoriety as other track and field powerhouses across the Southern portion of the country. The warm-weather schools of the Pac-10, SEC and ACC have distinct advantages attracting the sport’s highest-caliber athletes. But the 10 Big Ten teams (Northwestern doesn’t sponsor men’s track and field) still have some talent. Minnesota has controlled the conference lately, winning the last two indoor and the last two outdoor Big Ten titles. But the league-wide competition is typically balanced, occasionally featuring a team stacked enough to make a splash at the national level.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

Track and field in the Big 12 seems to be gaining an increased level of national relevance, mostly because the South Division schools are capitalizing on their vast resources. The Huskers won’t be a part of that surge anymore but will provide the Big Ten with a boost. However, joining a league that’s handcuffed by its climate could cost NU a little momentum. The NU facilities — the Devaney Center indoor track and Ed Weir Stadium — were both renovated in 2000 and would likely be legitimate candidates to host various events. Travel costs ultimately won’t vary much, though, since the nation’s top regular-season meets will remain unchanged, despite conference realignment.

— Jon Nyatawa

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VOLLEYBALL

Current Nebraska team status

NU won its first NCAA volleyball championship under AVCA Hall of Fame coach Terry Pettit in 1995, and the Huskers added two more titles under John Cook in 2000 and 2006. Nebraska volleyball has grown into a statewide sensation and a perennial powerhouse. Going back to 2001, the Huskers have sold out 135 consecutive matches at the NU Coliseum. That streak will continue this fall as NU again is expected to contend for a national title.

Big Ten status

The Pac-10 is widely viewed as the top volleyball conference in the country, but the Big Ten isn’t far behind. Penn State just won its third consecutive national title, and the Nittany Lions will take an NCAA-record 102-match winning streak into the 2010 season. Minnesota made the final four in 2003, 2004 and 2009, while Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin all have enjoyed success.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

The already formidable Big Ten will get a whole lot tougher with NU. The Huskers will expect to be in the hunt for a conference title every year in their new league. And fortunately for Nebraska, the Big 12 became a meatier conference in recent seasons, preparing it for life in the Big Ten, which will be a grind. Good thing, too, that Cook already has experience on how to navigate the Big Ten landscape. Cook put together a 161-73 record while coaching at Wisconsin from 1992 through 1998. Even more impressive, he boasts a 16-2 mark against Big Ten schools since he took over at NU in 2000. The Huskers have recruited many stars out of Big 12 and Big Ten territory, so the conference move shouldn’t affect NU’s ability to draw top-level talent. But fans will have to get used to a new schedule format. Unlike the Big 12, which plays its conference matches on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Big Ten typically takes the court on a Friday-Saturday format. Volleyball might be most affected by the switch to the Big Ten when it comes to diehards traveling to away games. Still, in the storied history of NU volleyball, some of the most memorable matches have come against the likes of Penn State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

-— Chad Purcell

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SOFTBALL

Current Nebraska team status

Nebraska’s Rhonda Revelle, who begins her 19th season leading the team in 2011, returned the Huskers to national prominence in softball during the 1990s. The only Big 12 coach inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame, Revelle guided Nebraska to Women’s College World Series appearances in 1998 and 2002. Recent seasons, however, have been more of a roller coaster ride for NU fans. The Huskers still are regulars in the NCAA tournament, but Nebraska has not advanced to super-regional play since college softball adopted its current postseason format in 2005. Still, the pieces are in place for NU to thrive. With Revelle and pitching coach Lori Sippel, the Huskers boast one of the top staffs in the country. They also play at Bowlin Stadium, a rare gem among college softball diamonds.

Big Ten status

From top to bottom, the Big 12 is considered a superior softball conference to the Big Ten. That doesn’t mean that programs can’t enjoy big success in the league Nebraska will join. Michigan won the Women’s College World Series in 2005, becoming the first school east of the Mississippi River to capture a college softball title. In 2006, Northwestern lost to Arizona in the best-of-three WCWS final, and Iowa made its fourth trip to Oklahoma City under legendary coach Gayle Blevins in 2001. Recently, Illinois and Ohio State have enjoyed some success.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

With no more conference weekends in Texas and Oklahoma, inclement weather will have a bigger effect on the Huskers’ league schedule as they travel north and east to compete in the Big Ten. Nebraska will expect to win conference championships in its new league, and nothing about the switch should inhibit NU from its goal of making it back to the WCWS. But it will be even more important for the Huskers to continue playing an aggressive nonconference schedule, and for NU to defeat some of those ranked teams during the early portion of the season, because at-large NCAA bids are tougher to come by in the Big Ten.

— Chad Purcell

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Current Nebraska team status

The 2009-10 season was a milestone year for the NU women’s hoops program, the kind of breakthrough performance that eight-year coach Connie Yori hopes will set the table for annual success from this point forward. The Huskers won their first conference regular-season title in 22 years, didn’t lose a game until the Big 12 tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time ever. But the six senior leaders who played a large role in that remarkable run are no longer with the team, leaving Yori and her staff with a gigantic rebuilding project. They’re confident that the foundation’s been established, though. Plus, a new practice facility is coming next fall, and a new downtown arena will be finished in 2013.

Big Ten status

If it weren’t for Ohio State, the winner of six straight regular-season titles, the Big Ten wouldn’t have any consistent representative on the national scene. For whatever reason, the rest of the league has lacked the ability to sustain a presence. There were recent Final Four appearances by Penn State (2000), Purdue (2001), Minnesota (2004) and Michigan State (2005), but all four of those programs have slipped since. Last year, none of the conference’s four NCAA berths made it past the tournament’s second round.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

Initially, by moving from the ultra-talented Big 12 into the Big Ten, Nebraska’s coaching staff might welcome the sudden competitive downshift. The grinding Big 12 schedule can take its toll on teams like the Huskers, who are usually making up for their gap in athleticism by on out-executing their highly skilled opponents. But if Nebraska is not regularly competing for Big Ten titles, it may find at-large postseason bids hard to come by. Big 12 teams are rewarded just for being members, because the league’s RPI is so high. That’s not exactly the case in the Big Ten, which struggles a bit from a national perspective.

— Jon Nyatawa

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SOCCER

Current Nebraska team status

Nebraska has only had one losing season since its program began playing in 1994. The Huskers went 5-4-2 in Big 12 play and 11-5-4 overall in 2009 to finish fourth in the conference and miss the NCAA tournament. NU graduated three of its top five scorers but does return a legitimate star in forward Morgan Marlborough. The sophomore from Lee’s Summit, Mo., was third in the nation last year with 21 goals and won both Big 12 offensive player and rookie of the year honors.

Big Ten status

The conference is thoroughly dominated by Penn State. The Nittany Lions have captured 12 straight Big Ten titles and are 125-16-8 all-time in conference games. But that hasn’t translated into significant postseason success — a Big Ten team has never won a national title and hasn’t reached the title game since 1991. Five Big Ten schools made the 64-team NCAA tournament in 2009, but only one (Wisconsin) advanced past the second round.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

The Huskers are consistently solid but never spectacular. NU hasn’t won more than 15 games in a season since 2002 and will likely fall into the middle of the pack when it begins playing in the Big Ten. The fact coach John Walker’s squads will have to travel farther for Big Ten road games than they did for Big 12 ones certainly won’t help. Nebraska is 7-23-3 away from home over the past four seasons.

— Max Olson

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WOMEN’S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Current Nebraska team status

The NU women’s track and field program has been a consistent contender in the Big 12 since the league was formed, and it seems to have the pieces in place to maintain that stability for some time. In the 28 total indoor and outdoor conference meets, Nebraska has won seven titles and has recorded 26 top three finishes. Legendary coach Gary Pepin has kept Nebraska relevant on a national scene as well, despite the far-from-ideal climate and a limited regional recruiting talent pool. The Huskers haven’t won an NCAA team title since 1984, but they’ve had at least one All-American in every national outdoor meet.

Big Ten status

The sport in the Big Ten is competitive and certainly contains talented athletes, though the league lacks the depth and prestige that seems to be developing in the Big 12. Penn State has been the dominant force lately, winning the last three conference outdoor titles. But no Big Ten team has ever won a national title during the indoor or outdoor season. The conference’s schools appear to be committed to excelling in women’s track and field, but they’re often crippled by the uncontrollable factors that limit every warm-weather sport in the Midwest. Northwestern doesn’t sponsor a team.

Where NU would fit in the Big Ten

Nebraska would seem to fit well in the Big Ten — mainly because it shares a similar latitude with most of the conference campuses. They all face the same weather-related challenges. But competing regularly against the rising powers of the Big 12 South Division has always been part of the recruiting pitch for the NU coaching staff. Ultimately, it’s possible that the program’s stature could take a slight hit. But much like their current status in the Big 12, the Huskers would again be a premiere team in its league and a regular favorite at the conference’s meets.

— Jon Nyatawa

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• NOTE: Besides the 12 sports addressed on these pages, Nebraska sponsors 11 other sports. They are men’s and women’s cross country; men’s and women’s golf; men’s and women’s gymnastics; men’s and women’s tennis; and women’s swimming/diving, bowling and rifle.

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