2011 – 12 NCAA football bowl games The 2011 – 12 NCAA football bowl games was a series of college football bowl game s . They concluded the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season , and included 35 team - competitive games and five all - star games . The games began on December 17 , 2011 and , aside from the all - star games , concluded with the 2012 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans , that was played on January 9 , 2012 . Selection of the teams . In the previous year ' s bowl cycle , the NCAA scrapped a bylaw which mandated that a school with a non - losing record of 6 – 6 in regular season play were not eligible unless conferences could not fill out available bowl positions with teams with a winning record of seven ( or more ) wins . The new rule was stretched further in this 2011 - 12 bowl season when a team with a losing record , the 6 - 7 UCLA Bruins , were invited to a bowl game . The Bruins claimed that they would have finished their season a non - winning 6 – 6 ( rather than a losing 6 - 7 ) if they had not been forced to play and lose their conference championship game when the USC Trojans ( 10 – 2 ) were barred from postseason play due to NCAA sanctions . This interpretation of policy ultimately led to Western Kentucky , with a 7 - 5 winning record , or Ball State , with a 6 - 6 non - losing record , going uninvited . Bowl eligibility . Eligible . Number of bowl berths available : 70 < br > Number of teams assured of bowl eligibility : 71 ( 72 , with 6 – 7 UCLA becoming bowl - eligible per NCAA waiver ) " Western Kentucky ( 7 – 5 ) and Ball State ( 6 – 6 ) were not extended invitations to bowl games . " Fiesta Bowl controversy . In March 2011 , because of illegal campaign contributions to politicians friendly to the Fiesta Bowl , the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors fired bowl CEO John Junker . The scandal threatened the Fiesta Bowl ' s status as a BCS game for the 2011 - 12 season , as the BCS said it might replace the bowl in its lineup if officials could not convince them it should remain . In May 2011 , the BCS fined the Fiesta Bowl organization US $ 1 million without removing their BCS spot . New bowl sponsors . Meineke has transferred their sponsorship from the game in Charlotte to the Houston - based game previously known as the Texas Bowl , and was renamed the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas . Belk Department Stores assumes the title sponsorship for the North Carolina contest , renaming that game the Belk Bowl . The Idaho Potato Commission takes over as the title sponsor for the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise , Idaho and has been renamed the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl , while Montreal - based Gildan , a maker of T - shirts , underwear and socks , will begin sponsorship of the previously unsponsored New Mexico Bowl this season . All of the bowl games will have a presenting or title sponsor . Moratorium on new bowl games . The NCAA has placed a three - year moratorium , starting with the 2011 - 12 bowl season , on any new bowl games . This follows the addition of two new games ( Pinstripe Bowl , TicketCity Bowl ) for the 2010 - 11 bowl season , bringing the total number of bowl games to 35 . The expansion to 70 teams required to fill these 35 bowl games has challenged the ability to actually find enough teams with winning ( 7 - 5 or better ) records to fill bowl slots . Teams with non - winning ( 6 - 6 ) and losing ( 6 - 7 ) records have participated in bowl games since the expansion to 35 games . By the 2012 - 13 bowl season , with multiple teams ineligible due to sanctions , the NCAA was forced to anticipate a need to allow teams with even worse ( 5 - 7 ) losing records to fill bowl selection slots in 2012 - 13 . Schedule . The official schedule was released June 17 , 2011 . Though it is traditionally the date for many bowl games to be played , none will be held on January 1 , due to that date being on a Sunday and conflict with the National Football League ' s slate of Sunday games . Subsequently , the Fiesta Bowl moved from January 5 to January 2 , in its traditional spot following the Rose Bowl , after the 2011 NFL lockout was settled . The Monday evening spot was held open for a possible Monday Night Football game . " NOTE : All times are US EST ( UTC −5 ) . " Post - BCS all - star games . " Note : The NFLPA Game was cancelled after the 2011 edition and replaced by its Collegiate Bowl . "