The wait is over for the NIU football team -well, sort of.

It was announced Wednesday that the Huskies will be offered a bid to play in either the Independence Bowl or the Silicon Valley Football Classic. The offer will be made after the BCS Selection Show on Sunday.

“We haven’t made a final decision,” said Independence Bowl Executive Director and 1982 NIU graduate Glen Krupica. “Obviously, if Southern Mississippi upsets No. 4 California, then our Big 12 team is Iowa State. A rematch wouldn’t be right, and we would take the loser of the MAC championship game and NIU would go to the Silicon Valley Football Classic.

“Otherwise, Oklahoma State or Texas Tech would play NIU if California wins. So this weekend will be the determining factor as to who we take from the Big 12,” Krupica said.

The Independence Bowl, which usually has ties with the Big 12 and SEC, will be played Dec. 28 in Shreveport, La. The contract with the MAC, like the Silicon Valley Bowl, is for this year only.

NIU has not played a postseason game since a victory over Cal State-Fullerton in the 1983 California Bowl.

“This is definitely going to be a big boost for this program,” NIU wide receiver Dan Sheldon said. “Finally we have a bowl game. Just to play in a bowl and get the experience is probably something that we’ll all be able to carry for the rest of our lives.”

The Silicon Valley Bowl will be played Dec. 30 in San Jose, Calif.

The agreement with the two bowls guaranteed that at least five of the six bowl-eligible MAC teams will get a postseason berth. Akron (6-5) is the only team without a guarantee.

-Sports reporter Sean Connor contributed to this story.