0 1 1 ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁I ▁F BS ▁football ▁season ▁was ▁the ▁highest ▁level ▁of ▁college ▁football ▁competition ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Colleg iate ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁( N CAA ). ▁ ▁The ▁regular ▁season ▁began ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁and ▁ended ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁post season ▁concluded ▁on ▁January ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁with ▁the ▁B CS ▁National ▁Championship ▁Game ▁at ▁the ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁Super d ome ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁The ▁# 2 ▁Alabama ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁defeated ▁the ▁# 1 ▁L SU ▁Tig ers ▁ 2 1 – 0 . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁for ▁only ▁the ▁third ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Bowl ▁Championship ▁Series ▁era , ▁no ▁team ▁from ▁an ▁automatic - qual ifying ▁B CS ▁conference ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁an ▁und efe ated ▁record . ▁ ▁Rule ▁changes ▁Several ▁rule ▁changes ▁took ▁effect ▁this ▁season : ▁ ▁If ▁a ▁player ▁is ▁pen al ized ▁for ▁uns ports man like ▁conduct ▁for ▁actions ▁that ▁occurred ▁during ▁a ▁play ▁ending ▁in ▁a ▁touch down , ▁but ▁before ▁the ▁goal ▁line ▁was ▁crossed , ▁the ▁touch down ▁will ▁be ▁null ified ▁and ▁the ▁fifteen - yard ▁penalty ▁enfor ced ▁from ▁the ▁spot ▁of ▁the ▁f oul . ▁This ▁change ▁was ▁made ▁the ▁year ▁after ▁Georgia ▁receiver ▁A . ▁J . ▁Green ▁was ▁called