How NIU got to the Independence Bowl

The 2008-2009 college football postseason produced a record 34 bowl games. When the regular season came to an end 72 teams were left as bowl eligible. This meant four bowl eligible teams would not enter the postseason.

Of these 72 teams, 13 teams had a 6-6 record, the minimum record to reach the postseason. One of these 13 teams was NIU.

The Huskies had hoped to win their final game against Navy, as this would have given them a 7-5 record. A 7-5 record would have improved NIU’s chances at a bowl game, as the NCAA restructured the manner in which at-large bids are selected a few years ago. Bowl games are forced to take a team with a winning record for an at-large slot, before inviting a 6-6 team. This meant teams like Western Michigan, with a 9-3 record, had to be selected for an at-large bid before a 6-6 team like Notre Dame.

And it was Western Michigan that proved to be the crucial piece of the puzzle to get NIU into a bowl game.

The Broncos ultimately accepted an invitation to the Texas Bowl in Houston. At first, however, WMU wanted to accept an invitation to the Independence Bowl. The motivation, it seemed, was money.

“The net payout in Shreveport was $330,000. In Houston it was $270,000,” said MAC commissioner Rick Chryst. “Prior to any bowl invitations we wanted to take the money part off the table. I think we felt Shreveport was the best opportunity for Northern.”

NIU agreed with Chryst, feeling that if it was going to make it to the postseason, it would be in Shreveport.

“Rick [Chryst], and his staff, we relied on them to be really the kind of conference voice for us as the negotiations occurred,” said NIU Athletic Director Jeff Compher. “We feel like the more teams from our conference that go the better. We didn’t want to be the one sitting out, but we didn’t want anyone else sitting out.”

In order to convince WMU to accept the invitation to Houston, NIU agreed to give some of its revenue from the Independence Bowl to WMU. This amount was finalized at $29,380.


Continue reading this story by clicking on part three.

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