Sub-.500 Arizona, Houston maintain bowl aim

Arizona attempts to halt a five-game losing streak when it hosts improving Houston on Friday night in Tucson, Ariz.The Wildcats (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) are trying to keep alive bowl hopes after starting the season No. 21 in the AP Top 25 poll. Injuries and an uneven transition to new head coach Brent Brennan dashed high expectations, as Arizona has lost three in a row at home.Arizona hasn’t provided enough help on offense for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (63 catches, 1,066 yards, six TDs). The Wildcats are averaging 17.3 points in their past eight games; opponents are putting up 30.1 per game.”This last stretch of brotherhood, how do you want this to end?” Brennan said of the message to his team since a 56-12 loss at UCF on Nov. 2. “I think that’s something they all lean into heavily. Attacking the work and finishing the right way is what everyone in the program should be all about right now.”The Cougars (4-5, 3-3) have had season-long issues on offense — they average 15.2 points per game, third-worst in the country — but have been better since turning to sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss four games ago. He helped lead a 30-19 victory at TCU, and Houston has won three of its past four, including narrow home wins over Utah and then-No. 17 Kansas State.Now, the Cougars are dreaming of the postseason, finishing against Baylor at home and then at BYU.

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