GREELEY, Colo. (AP) Jalyx Hunt returned a fumble for a 46-yard touchdown to help Houston Baptist Huskies hold off a furious Northern Colorado Bears comeback attempt for a 46-34 win in a season opener for both teams Saturday.

The Bears scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to close within 39-34. Following Northern Colorado's recovery of an onside kick, the Huskies' Jacoby Brass forced a fumble by quarterback Jacob Sirmon to set up Hunt's scoop and score with 1:06 left.

Houston Baptist, which went 0-11 in 2021, won its first game since a 33-30 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 3, 2020 in a four-game fall campaign due to COVID-19. The Huskies entered having lost 20 of 22 contests since Oct. 5, 2019.

Northern Colorado entered having won its three previous games in the all-time series against the Huskies.

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