Griz start strong; Cats shut out by Pac 12 Cougs

MISSOULA (AP) - Kentucky transfer Reese Phillips threw three of his four second-half touchdowns in a span of six offensive plays to lead Montana to a 45-23 win over Valparaiso in the season-opener for both teams on Saturday.

The senior capped a nine-play drive with a 14-yard strike to Samori Toure to put the Grizzlies up 24-13 in the third quarter. He hooked up with Keenan Curran on a 45-yard score on third down of the next possession and Jerry Louie-McGee for 25 yards on second down of the next series to make it 38-13.

Louie-McGee, who had nine catches for 159 yards, also hauled in Phillips' fourth TD pass, a 17-yarder with 5:50 to play.

Phillips, who never started at Kentucky, was 27 of 38 for 381 yards and one interception. The Grizzlies finished with 538 yards of offense to run their season-opening home winning streak to 14 games.

Jeremy Calhoun ran for two touchdowns in the first half to give Montana a 17-13 lead.

Backup quarterback Chris Duncan threw for two touchdowns for the Crusaders, who had 450 yards on offense. Dimitrois Latsonas kicked three field goals.

Montana now visits defending Pac 12 and FBS powerhouse, the University of Washington Saturday night in Seattle.

Wash. State 31, Bobcats 0

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Washington State had lost its season opener the past two years to members of the FCS Big Sky Conference, but the 24th-ranked Cougars weren't going to let it happen a third time.

Luke Falk threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns, setting the school career touchdowns passing record, as Washington State beat Montana State 31-0 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night.

Cougars offensive lineman Cole Madison noticed his teammates were a lot more focused on winning the opener this season.

"There was more urgency towards the game and winning the game," Madison said. "We were ready to go."

Among those most ready was Falk, who completed his first 20 passes of the game as Washington State won a season opener for the first time under sixth-year coach Mike Leach.

Montana State managed just 143 yards in the game, mostly on the ground.

"Our whole defense played good," Leach said. "We were pretty steady on offense. The steadiness and consistency was pretty positive for a first game."

Leach had lost all five of his openers since arriving at Washington State in 2012.

Montana State suffered eight tackles-for-loss and three sacks and was unable to move the ball.

"That's a Top 25 football team for a reason," Montana State coach Jeff Choate said of the Cougars. "Our inability to sustain drives on offense was kind of the story of the evening."

Falk completed 33 of 39 passes and was not intercepted. James Williams caught 13 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Falk completed his first nine passes on WSU's first drive, the last a shovel pass to Williams, who ran 11 yards for a touchdown. The score allowed Falk to tie Connor Halliday for most touchdown passes in school history at 90.

Falk's streak of consecutive completed passes reached 18 with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tavares Martin Jr. that lifted the Cougars to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. That allowed him to take sole possession of the school career touchdowns passing record with 91.

Montana State got a break when Grant Collins recovered a Washington State fumble on the Cougars' 43. But Luke Daly missed a 42-yard field goal attempt and Washington State led 14-0 at halftime.

Jamal Morrow ran 29 yards for a touchdown to lift Washington State to a 21-0 lead midway through the third.

Falk fired a 24-yard touchdown pass to Williams in the fourth for a 28-0 lead.

Montana State quarterback Chris Murray completed just 5 of 12 passes for a total of 28 yards, most of that in the fourth quarter. He also led his team in rushing with 55 yards.

Montana State hosts South Dakota State in its home opener next Saturday.