Complex sentence: From 1951 to 1959 Houston played in the Missouri Valley Conference, and from 1960-1976 the Houston Cougars as a major independent, achieving 6 straight final Top 25 finishes (8 total while independent) and 5 bowl appearances.
Split into simpler sentences: From 1951 to 1959 Houston played in the Missouri Valley Conference. From 1960-1976 the Houston Cougars as a major independent, achieving 6 straight final Top 25 finishes (8 total while independent) and 5 bowl appearances.