East Hartford, CT -- (Sports Network) - Tom Savage connected with Tim Brown for an 81-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds to play, as Rutgers rallied for an improbable 28-24 win over the Connecticut Huskies in a Big East thriller at Rentschler Field.

Savage threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers (6-2, 1-2 Big East), while Brown finished with five catches for 162 yards and two scores.

The Huskies (4-4, 1-3), playing at home for the first time since the stabbing death of cornerback Jasper Howard, appeared headed to victory after scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 38 seconds remaining, but the defense had an untimely lapse in pass coverage. UConn starting quarterback Cody Endres left the game with a shoulder injury midway through the first quarter and was replaced by Zack Frazer, who threw for a career-high 333 yards but was also intercepted three times.

For the second straight week, UConn allowed its opponent to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown, as Rutgers' Devin McCourty sprinted 98 yards untouched for the game's first score.

UConn's Robbie Frey returned the ensuing kickoff into Rutgers' territory, which set up an eventual 37-yard field goal by kicker Dave Teggart.

The Scarlet Knights made it a 14-3 game on a 37-yard scoring strike from Savage to Brown at the 6:09 mark of the second quarter.

But UConn's special teams came through again, as Frey returned the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-10.

Rutgers added another touchdown before the half, as Savage found Mark Harrison for a 20-yard touchdown pass to make it a 21-10 game.

After a scoreless third quarter, UConn trimmed the margin to 21-17 on a 32- yard touchdown pass from Frazer to Marcus Easley with 10:19 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Huskies took the lead on Jordan Todman's two-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds on the clock, capping a 15-play, 87-yard drive.

However, Savage and Brown provided the final dagger on the first play of Rutgers' next possession to silence the UConn crowd.

The Huskies lost despite out-gaining Rutgers in total offense, 481-322.