MISSOULA, Mont. — The Montana Grizzlies returned three first-quarter interceptions for touchdowns, and Justin Roper threw three second-half touchdown passes Saturday as the Grizzlies manhandled Western State 73-2.
In a game delayed for an hour and shortened 5:30 by lightning, Montana easily rolled over the Division II Mountaineers in its season opener. Western State fell to 0-2.
The Grizzlies opened the scoring 53 seconds into the game with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Selle to Sam Gratton.
Jordan Tripp, Erik Stoll and Trumaine Johnson each returned interceptions for touchdowns to put Montana up 28-2 at the end of the first quarter.
The Mountaineers scored their only points on a safety when Selle fumbled and fell on the ball in the end zone.
Montana State 59, Fort Lewis 10
BOZEMAN, Mont. — Freshman quarterback Denarius McGhee threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns in his Montana State debut, and backup Cody Kempt threw for two more as the Bobcats overwhelmed Fort Lewis in the season opener for both teams.
McGhee threw scoring passes of 32 yards to freshman wide receiver Tanner Bleskin and 51 yards to junior wide receiver Elvis Akpla, who also caught a 4-yarder from Kempt.
Freshman running back Cody Kirk had scoring runs of 1 and 3 yards, and wide receiver Gianni Carter, another freshman, caught a 27-yard TD pass from Kempt.
Sophomore wide receiver Justin Peters’ 1-yard run with 11:33 to play was the only touchdown for Division II Fort Lewis.
CSU-Pueblo 55, NW Oklahoma State 13
PUEBLO — The ThunderWolves improved to 2-0, led by quarterback Ross Dausin, who threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. The 55 points scored by the ThunderWolves were their most since scoring 57 on Fort Lewis in 1965.
Colorado Mines 52, South Dakota Tech 24
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Clay Garcia passed for 417 yards and six TDs, leading Colorado Mines to a victory.
Cody Renken had 178 yards receiving and two touchdown catches, and Tom Kastens also caught two touchdown passes.
