PROVO, Utah (AP) — Zach Wilson completed 24 of 26 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns and ran for three scores to help No. 22 BYU beat Louisiana Tech 45-14 on Friday night.

The Cougars (3-0) rolled up 513 total yards and averaged 8.0 yards per play on their way to their best start since 2014.

Tyler Allgeier added 93 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and Gunner Romney led the receivers with 101 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions in his third straight 100-yard game.

Luke Anthony threw for 191 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception to lead the Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech (2-1) had only 313 total yards.

Wilson has completed 84.5% of his passes through his first three games. The junior’s efficient passing, combined with stingy defense, helped BYU take control before halftime. Wilson opened the game by completing his first 12 passes – highlighted by a 22-yard touchdown grab between two defenders by freshman tight end Carter Wheat.

On the other side, the Cougars forced four first-half punts and a turnover. Troy Warner snagged his first career interception and Tyler Batty came up with two of his career-high three sacks to stop Louisiana Tech’s final drive of the half.

BYU struck first on its opening drive when Wilson threw a 39-yard dart to Dax Milne to set up his own 9-yard scoring run on the next play. Smoke Harris eluded several tacklers and took a screen pass 66 yards to tie it at 7.

The Cougars pulled away in the second quarter, scoring on three consecutive drives. Wheat’s touchdown catch in double coverage and a 1-yard dive from Tyler Allgeier accounted for the first two. Then Wilson completed four straight passes, culminating in a 22-yard strike to Gunner Romney, to march the Cougars 80 yards in 37 seconds and make it 28-7 going into halftime.

Wilson’s final touchdown, a 14-yard keeper, put BYU ahead 45-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Wilson completed 18 of 19 passes in the first half for 236 yards. He had more than 200 passing yards in the first half for a second straight week.

THE TAKEAWAY

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs kept BYU corralled for a quarter but could not generate enough offense to have a realistic shot at an upset. Aside from one big first-quarter scoring play, Louisiana Tech struggled to move the ball against the Cougars when it mattered.

BYU: Once again, the Cougars imposed their will against an overmatched opponent. BYU scored on six consecutive drives from the second to the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Cougars forced six straight punts over the same stretch.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

BYU could climb higher in next week’s AP Top 25 Poll after another dominating victory.

UP NEXT

Louisiana Tech hosts UTEP next Saturday.

BYU hosts UTSA next Saturday.

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25

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