Houston vs. Auburn Odds
| Houston Odds | +1.5 |
| Auburn Odds | -1.5 |
| Over/Under | 50.5 |
| Date | Dec. 28 |
| Location | Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama |
Houston is set to take on Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 28 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. Find our expert's projected odds, a recap of each team's seasons, plus more information on the Birmingham Bowl below.
FanDuel opened Auburn as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday night.
Houston vs. Auburn Projected Odds
| Houston Spread | -3 |
| Auburn Spread | +3 |
| Over/Under | 55.2 |
These Houston vs. Auburn projections are based on Collin Wilson's college football power ratings, which help power our PRO Projections — they compare all of his projections to real-time college football odds in order to easily identify betting edges.
How Houston Reached the Birmingham Bowl
Houston struck gold in head coach Dana Holgorsen’s third season.
The Cougars, who were 7-13 the last two seasons combined, went an impressive 11-2 in 2021. The campaign was bookended by losses to Texas Tech and Cincinnati, the latter of which was in the AAC title game.
The offense was potent, ranking top-10 in both scoring and turnovers. Quarterback Clayton Tune racked up more than 3,000 yards, tallying multiple scores in nine straight contests heading into bowl season.
Not to be outdone, the defense was top-20 nationally against both the rush and pass.
Holgorsen has dropped four straight bowl games. He’s aiming for his first win since the 2015 season.
How Auburn Reached the Birmingham Bowl
Yes, Auburn played 12 games this season and finished with a 6-6 record, but it’s almost impossible to talk about the Tigers' 2021 campaign without going right to their heartbreaking loss to rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
Auburn seemed to have the game in hand after turning over Alabama late in the fourth quarter on downs, but an inability to kill the clock let the Crimson Tide score a game-tying touchdown with just 24 seconds remaining before going on to win, 24-22, in overtime.
The Tigers also disappointed bettors this season, going just 5-6 against the spread (ATS).
Auburn was almost equally mediocre against the number no matter the betting market expectations, finishing 3-3 ATS as an underdog and 2-3 ATS as a favorite.
Houston vs. Auburn Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Houston and Auburn match up statistically:
Houston Offense vs. Auburn Defense
 |  Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 85 | 19 | |
| Line Yards | 113 | 10 | |
| Pass Success | 17 | 99 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 22 | 34 | |
| Big Play | 9 | 84 | |
| Havoc | 106 | 36 | |
| Finishing Drives | 16 | 42 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Auburn Offense vs. Houston Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 37 | 12 | |
| Line Yards | 50 | 7 | |
| Pass Success | 76 | 2 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 44 | 2 | |
| Big Play | 85 | 13 | |
| Havoc | 24 | 4 | |
| Finishing Drives | 64 | 15 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 65 | 51 |
| Coverage | 17 | 51 |
| Middle 8 | 42 | 103 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 77 | 47 |
| Plays per Minute | 112 | 100 |
| Rush Rate | 54.% (73) | 49.8% (97) |
Birmingham Bowl Date, Time, TV, More Info
- Date: Dec. 28
- Time: Noon ET
- Location: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama
- TV Info: ESPN
