I really can’t tell you, but this might be a better jolt than morning coffee.

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.

Direct confirmation from Nebraska of a conference change for the Huskers wasn’t immediately available. Sources at two other Big 12 schools told The World-Herald that their athletic directors have instructed them to be ready by week’s end for a briefing on probable Big 12 changes.

Nebraska A.D. Tom Osborne offered implicit confirmation Tuesday night that the timetable on national conference realignment has been accelerated.

On his monthly appearance on the Husker Sports Network, Osborne said:

“I think before too long — I don’t know exactly what that time frame is — we’ll be able to put this to bed,” then he jokingly added, “because I’m getting tired of it.”

That really doesn’t prove much, but everyone is getting more skittish by the day. There is definitely a sense that Nebraska is not going to bend to the Texas/Big 12 ultimatum.