The 2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, the 20th edition of the game, was a postseason American college football bowl game, held on December 22, 2011, at Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada, as part of the 2011–12 NCAA Bowl season. The game, televised on ESPN, was between the Arizona State Sun Devils from the Pac-12 Conference and the Boise State Broncos from the Mountain West Conference. Teams Meeting for the second time in history, the Broncos and the Sun Devils had previously met with the then No. 5 Arizona State defeating Boise State 56–7 in Tempe, Arizona, on 5 October 1996. However, Boise State claims a three-game winning streak over Pac-12 teams, winning over Oregon twice and Oregon State in 2010 when all three teams were ranked. Arizona State On 4 December 2011, the Arizona State Sun Devils accepted an invitation to represent the Pac-12. The Sun Devils entered the bowl with a 6–6 record. On 28 November, their coach Dennis Erickson was fired after the Sun Devils had four consecutive losses following a 6–2 start. However, Erickson was allowed to coach the team at the Las Vegas Bowl. The 2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas was ASU's first post-season appearance since the 2007 Holiday Bowl. Boise State On 4 December 2011, the Boise State Broncos accepted an invitation to represent the MWC. The Broncos entered the bowl ranked #7 in the BCS standings with an 11–1 record, finishing second in the Mountain West Conference. The Broncos only loss in the season was against TCU, costing the team a chance at the BCS National Championship Game. The Broncos had appeared in the Las Vegas Bowl the previous year, winning 26–3 against Utah. The 2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas was the final college game for Kellen Moore, the most successful quarterback in FBS history. Game summary Despite committing three turnovers, the Boise State Broncos easily routed the Arizona State Sun Devils 56–24. The Broncos scored quickly when Doug Martin returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to make it 7–0 Broncos. Boise State went up 14–0 on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Shoemaker. The Broncos made it 21–0 in the 2nd quarter on a touchdown pass to wide receiver Matt Miller. The Sun Devils finally scored with a 32-yard Alex Garoutte field goal to cut the deficit to 21–3. Boise State responded with a pass from Matt Miller to Kyle