***Update: Jeff Jacobs of the Harford Courant just tweeted out the below – UConn and Susan Herbst denying ESPN’s “pleading” allegations. Check it out:

UConn: ESPN report that Susan Herbst was pleading with 7 Catholic schools to stay in league is untrue. — Jeff Jacobs (@jacobscourant) December 13, 2012

Scoop: The seven Catholic, non-Football Bowl Subdivision schools in the Big East Conference are expected to make an announcement on their future with the conference by Friday.

Significance: The non-football schools: Marquette, Georgetown, Providence, St. John’s, Villanova, Seton Hall and DePaul, currently have enough hold to vote to dissolve the once powerful conference.

Story: ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, Andy Katz and Dana O’Neil reported on Wednesday night that the seven non-football schools in the Big East Conference are leaning towards leaving the conference. The presidents of the seven schools met with Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco in New York to discuss the future of the conference. According to sources, the seven schools are “close to a consensus on what they want to do next.” The schools can all leave the conference together, with the Atlantic-10 potentially set to clean up the pieces.

There is also the option of voting to dissolve the conference. There are only 10 current members of the Big East that can vote for such a move; the non-football schools with UConn, Cincinnati and South Florida – the three schools besides Louisville that tried to get an invite into the Atlantic Coast Conference. UConn President Susan Herbst has been pleading with the non-football schools to stay, but it appears that by Friday, the Big East could cease to exist.

Taylor Swift will get a whole new album out of what would come next. — Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) December 13, 2012

Big East Movie Pitch: “In a world where football drives realignment…seven Catholic schools hold the power to dissolve a conference…” — Daniel Martin (@DanielJMartin_) December 13, 2012

Immediately following this will be the benefit concert for UConn basketball. — Mark Ennis (@Mengus22) December 13, 2012