The 2012 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, the fifth edition of the game, was a post-season American college football bowl game, held on December 21, 2012 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida as part of the 2012–13 NCAA Bowl season. The game, which commenced at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, featured the UCF Knights from Conference USA and Ball State Cardinals from the Mid-American Conference. It was the final game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. The Knights advanced to the game after losing to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the Conference USA Championship Game.