This rumor doesn't make any sense. If the Big 10 was going to add schools, UNC and UVa would be the first calls, not Maryland. Although, the Big 10 did add Nebraska which doesn't make any sense from a markets perspective, and Maryland is a wealthy state with no other major university in the state and is contiguous to Big 10 country.
The timing is more puzzling. This should have happened months ago. ESPN was rumored to be offering the ACC and Big 12 more money per team if they would raid the Big East again, so approaching the Big 10 with the same deal is not out of the question, even if the Big 10 offer would just start tipping dominoes. But you would have expected something to happen before the Big East exclusive expired because the Big 10 isn't going to move quickly, and if the TV money is big enough the Big East schools are probably going to sign a Grant of Rights. The Big 10, on the other hand, seems to be moving towards taking their TV in house, but that won't happen for years and their ESPN deal isn't up until 2016, so why would they move now to add schools?
Rutgers, as usual, is part of the conversation, but the Big 10 has looked at Rutgers and passed on at least one occasion. What has caused anything to change, and why now?
Yet there are three separate sources that all are reporting this, and blowing this rumor for a semi-credible news organization, which team fan sites are, will have long legs. Chip Brown is a laughingstock in the digital media world and will be for a long time for his reporting during the Big 12 realignment. So these three sites/radio stations must have a credible source for this rumor, or they wouldn't be running with it. Except the rumor doesn't make sense.
Which brings me to a theory. The one guy that benefits the most from the leak of this sketchy rumor at this time, and would have the ability to get some news organizations to pick the rumor up, is Mike Aresco. If he is leaning on NBC to put a big number on the table and move quickly, leaking a rumor which, if true, would result in the end of the Big East, might light a fire under NBC. As long as the rumor isn't traced back to Aresco, there are no consequences for him when it turns out to be BS. But if he is trying to force NBC's hand, he would let them know that the league is willing to lock up if the number is big enough, but NBC has to come strong and quick.
Most likely this whole thing is just a prank someone is running to see if they can get a rumor reported as news. But maybe the rumor was started for reasons other than entertainment of the person starting the rumor. The rumor doesn't make sense to me so I don't think it is real, and I don't think a radio station and two Internet sites are conspiring to drive page hits. I think those different media outlets really believe this, which means someone credible told them it was going to happen.
I don't have a good explanation for this rumor, so this is as good as any.