Houston aiming for 12th win; Auburn seeking to stop skid

By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Houston is trying to join the two other teams in program history to reach 12 wins in a season. The Cougars face Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl on Tuesday, and the Tigers have a more modest goal. They want to avoid ending a season with five straight losses for the first time in 71 years. The 21st-ranked Cougars had won 11 straight before losing to fourth-ranked and playoff-bound Cincinnati 35-20 in the American Athletic Conference championship game. Houston is 11-2 while Auburn is 6-6. But Houston linebacker Deontay Anderson says Auburn is a “great opponent.”