BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) _ Chris Samms passed for 282 yards and three touchdowns and Jovan Griffith rushed for 150 yards and three more scores Saturday to lead Eastern Washington to a 45-23 victory over Montana State.

The teams were tied 10-10 after the first quarter, but EWU (6-4 overall, 5-2 Big Sky) scored three straight times _ including two 4-yard runs by Griffith and a 5-yard pass from Samms to Joe Levens _ to take a 31-10 lead with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

Montana State (3-6, 1-5) pulled within 31-17 with 1:19 left in the third on a 1-yard run by Ryan Johnson, who had 12 carries for 38 yards.

EWU widened the margin to 38-17 when Samms threw a 49-yard scoring pass to Lamont Brightful, who finished with 169 yards receiving.

The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter. MSU scored on a 24-yard pass from Kasey Harte to Frank Green; EWU on a 10-yard run by Griffith.

MSU opened scoring with a 47-yard field goal by Carson Souter at 11:42 of the first quarter, but EWU answered with a 34-yard field goal by Troy Griggs at the 4:13 mark.

EWU went up 10-3 on a 51-yard pass from Samms to Brightful with 1:25 left in the first quarter. The Bobcats then scored on a 3-yard run by Johnson with seven seconds to play in the quarter.

Montana State threw two interceptions and missed three field goals.