Editor’s note: This is the sixth part in a 12-part series of an in-depth look at the 2003 NIU football team and its impact on NIU.

Sitting at 10-2, NIU waited.

With the season over, the Huskies held on to hope. A total of 56 teams would get invitations to the 28 postseason opportunities – NIU hoped to be one of them.

“After the regular season ended, we practiced a couple days because we didn’t know,” said DeAndre Smith, former running backs coach. “But back then, the limited number of bowl games hurt us.”

In 2003, the MAC only had two direct ties to bowl games. The GMAC Bowl selected MAC champions Miami (Ohio), and the Motor City Bowl took MAC West champions Bowling Green.

The Huskies continued waiting, now hoping for an at-large bid to a bowl game not connected to the MAC. As NIU prayed, an opponent that the Huskies defeated entered the postseason.

Maryland (9-3) found itself in an extra game.

The Terrapins participated in the Toyota Gator Bowl against West Virginia, beating the Mountaineers 41-7.

As spots were filled, things looked bleak. A total of 56 teams were selected for bowl games in 2003 – NIU was not one of them.

“I made a comment: ‘I know there aren’t 56 teams that are better than us,'” said former head coach Joe Novak. “It wasn’t fair to the kids.”

A team once ranked No. 10 in the BCS was denied a postseason bid. The Northern Star tried to reach BCS officials to ask them about the situation, but they did not return the phone calls as of press time.

Mike Korcek, former NIU sports information director, however, feels the main cause that prevented a postseason for the Huskies in 2003 was economic reasons.

“In 2003, we were not a mid-major,” Korcek said. “But then when you go see us play at Michigan or Ohio State, you see we cannot compete at that money-level. The BCS, they don’t want us. I’m sorry to say it’s a money thing – it’s not a pure athletic contest.”

Since the 2003 season, there have been reforms made. One such, as stated on the BCS Web site, states, “Any Division I-A program can qualify for at-large consideration if it wins nine or more games and is ranked 14 or higher in the BCS standings.”

Another reform, according to a Nov. 27, 2006, Sports Illustrated article, states that no at-large non-BCS bowl bid can be given to a 6-6 team if there are other teams with winning records still available.

This rule helped NIU earn a trip to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

Some of the former NIU head coaches felt the 2003 season, along with teams like Boise State, Bowling Green and TCU helped to push these reforms in the BCS.

“There was a lot of discussion around the country how it was not right for us to not be at a bowl game,” said Mike Sabock, former defensive ends coach. “That 2003 Northern Illinois team did help with that reform.”

Former offensive line coach Sam Pittman agrees.

“We felt we could play with anyone in the country,” the former Huskie said. “If you win seven, eight or nine games and you aren’t allowed to go to a bowl, it is heartbreaking for the kids.”

That heartbreaking effect was felt by all of the NIU football players, especially the seniors.

“It was a tough pill to swallow,” said former quarterback Josh Haldi about not getting a bowl bid. “I felt awful for the guys, especially the seniors, when we did not get a bowl.”

The coaching staff shared that same depression of the players.

“Everyone was definitely depressed – if you’re 10-2 today you go to a bowl game,” said Sabock. “That was just a crime. There’s zero explanation for that. We truly deserved a bowl game that year more than any other year.”

The feelings of NIU players, coaches and fans could not change the result. The season was over. Without a bowl invitation, NIU stopped practicing. The seniors knew their college career was done while a team they beat still had one more game to play over winter break.

“Was the system fair in 2003? I would say no,” Korcek said. “The system let those seniors down that year. I blame Myles Brand [president of the NCAA] and the NCAA.”