Vandy Faces Houston in BBVA Compass Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Houston will face Vanderbilt in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Jan. 4 at Legion Field.

The bowl game announced the matchup Sunday. Vanderbilt is playing in its third straight bowl game for the first time, all under coach James Franklin.

Houston, which plays in the American Athletic Conference, is 8-4 and is making its eighth postseason trip in the past 11 seasons. Vandy is also 8-4 and beat Georgia, Florida and Tennessee for the first time in the same season.

The Cougars are 9-11-1 in bowls, including a 30-14 win over No. 22 Penn State in the 2012 Ticket City Bowl to cap coach Tony Levine's first season.

Levine says "facing a formidable opponent from the SEC is a great challenge and one that our program is looking forward to."