HARTFORD, Conn.

The University of Maine football team put up a tough fight in its season opener against the University of Connecticut, but fell on a late field goal, 24-21.

Jaleel Reed finished with career highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (169) to lead the Black Bears. Quarterback Dan Collins, who found Reed for one of his two passing scores, ended 19-for-33 with 269-yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Maine’s defense, led by Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga’s game-high 12 tackles, limited UConn to 162 yards through the air.

For the second-straight season in a season opener against a Football Subdivision opponent, the Black Bears jumped out to an early first-quarter lead. On its third drive of the first quarter, Collins hit Reed for a 48-yard strike, bringing Maine into UConn territory for the first time. Three plays later, Collins found freshman Joshua Mack outside for a 20- yard score. The touchdown was the first of Mack’s career.

UConn answered with a 1- yard run from Ron Johnson, tying the score at 7-7 early in the first half.

The Huskies captured their first lead when Johnson scampered in from 21-yards out for his second score of the night with 3:10 left in the third quarter.

Collins and the offense settled back in, moving the ball down to the UConn 40-yard line before the senior quarterback floated a perfect ball into the hands of Reed. The junior came down with the catch in the end zone, once again tying the game to move into the fourth quarter.

After UConn advanced into Maine territory, Najee Goode blasted in from the outside, strip sacking the Huskies’ quarterback and returning the ball 76-yards to put UMaine on top, 21-14.

The back-and-forth action continued as UConn completed a six play, 54-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run from Arkeel Newsome, once again knotting the score with 3:20 left in the fourth.

Late in the fourth, UConn began its final drive, maneuvering itself down to the Maine 20-yard line. With 11- seconds on the clock, UConn’s Bobby Puyol hit a 37-yard field goal, giving the Huskies a late, three-point cushion.

A last second completion failed to get Maine far enough as the clock ran out, allowing UConn to escape with a win in the opener.