CHENEY, Wash. (AP) — Keali'i Ah Yat threw four touchdown passes, Eli Gillman and Brooks Davis both scored three times and Montana defeated Eastern Washington 42-33 on Saturday.
Ah Yah connected with Davis for three touchdown plays that were beyond 50 yards. It started with a 75-yard score on the first play of the game, a 51-yarder on the last play of the first half for a 21-13 lead and a 61-yarder to close the scoring.
Davis finished with nine receptions for 231 yards.
Gillman, who rushed for 145 yards on 24 carries, had a 4-yard touchdown reception in the first half and a 1-yard run before breaking off a 68-yard score in the fourth quarter. Gillman is now three touchdowns behind legendary EWU receiver Cooper Kupp's Big Sky Conference record of 77 touchdowns, chasing Brian Westbrook's FCS record of 89 touchdowns.
Ah Yah was 21-of-28 passing for 327 yards with two interceptions and is the first quarterback for the Grizzlies (6-3,4-2 Big Sky Conference), ranked No. 14 in the Stats Perform poll, to throw for 300 yards in four straight games since 1999.
Montana piled up 489 yards while the Eagles (2-7, 1-5) had 379, including 110 on the ground despite losing 93 on a school-record 11 sacks by the Grizzlies.
Nate Bell was 19 of 33 for 269 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions for Eastern Washington. Jaxon Branch had seven catches for 131 yards.
Montana: home against Portland State next Saturday.
Eastern Washington: at Idaho next Saturday.
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