Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett (18) intercepts a pass from Houston quarterback Clayton Tune (3) during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) celebrates during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn wide-receiver John Samuel Shenker (47) gets a first down during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley (1) looks to throw during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett (18) intercepts a pass from Houston quarterback Clayton Tune (3) during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) celebrates during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn wide-receiver John Samuel Shenker (47) gets a first down during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley (1) looks to throw during the Birmingham Bowl, a NCAA football game between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. [Jake Arthur/ Tallapoosa Publishers]
The Auburn defense held Houston to its season-low in points on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough as the Cougars took a late lead to win the Ticketsmarter Birmingham Bowl.
Houston quarterback Clayton Tune found tight end Jake Herslow open for a 26-yard touchdown pass with 3:27 left in the game and No. 20-ranked Houston beat Auburn, 17-13. The loss is Auburn’s fifth-straight loss to end the season.