There's now a definitive line between mediocrity and bowl-eligible mediocrity.

The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday announced adjusted guidelines under which teams with 6-6 records must be selected for bowls before any team with a 5-7 record can be considered.

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The "solidified" process takes effect for bowls after the 2016 season.

After all 6-6 bowl-eligible teams are selected, the 5-7 teams — which will be considered alternates –—will be deemed eligible in descending order based on their multiyear Academic Progress Rate.

“It’s impossible to project how many eligible bowl teams we will have,” said Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, chair of the football oversight committee. “We think we have a selection process in the postseason that makes sense and is fair to the schools and the bowls.”

Last season, only 77 teams were eligible for the 80 bowl slots by the established criteria.

As USA Today noted, although APR was used to fill the three remaining slots with 5-7 teams, high-profile Nebraska was allowed to play in the Foster Farms Bowl against UCLA because of the game’s contractual affiliation with the Big Ten. Under the new system, the Cornhuskers wouldn't be placed in a more lucrative Big Ten-affiliated bowl ahead of a 6-6 team.

In April, the Division I Council placed a moratorium on the certification of new bowl games. No new bowl games will be played before the 2020 football season.