MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Eli Gillman ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, Keali’i Ah Yat threw for a pair of scores and Montana rolled to a season-opening 42-17 victory over Division II Central Washington on Saturday night.
Gillman broke loose on a 54-yard touchdown run on Montana’s opening drive. Steve Rocker Jr.’s 5-yard TD run made it 14-3 heading into the second quarter.
Beau Phillips ran for a 31-yard touchdown late in the second to pull Central Washington (1-1) to 17-14. But on the next possession, Ah Yat connected with Drew Deck on a 50-yard touchdown pass just before halftime.
Gillman hit Michael Worthan on a 76-yard touchdown pass midway through the third and Gilliam then added TD runs from 11 and 1 yard to cap the scoring.
Ah Yat was 14-of-24 passing for 250 yards. Worthan, who was Eastern Washington’s quarterback last season, caught six passes for 120 yards. Rocker finished with 72 yards rushing.
Kennedy McGill completed 7 of 16 passes for 76 yards for CWU. Phillips finished with 69 yards rushing on 11 carries.
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