The Tennessee passing game has worked to be a bright spot for the Volunteers this season.

If Saturday was any indication, they’ll be just fine in that department.

Tyler Bray threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing in a 42-16 win over Montana at Neyland Stadium to open the season.

“Tyler did a good job,” Dooley said. “He was poised out there. There’s still some plays he could have done better, but for the most part, he managed the game very well.”

Bray’s first two passes were touchdowns of 47 and 81 yards to Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter, respectively. Hunter and Rogers each set career-highs in single-game receiving yards. Hunter had 146 yards, while Rogers added 100. It was the first time UT has had two wideouts reach 100 yards in the same game since 2007.

“We just picked up in the passing game where we left off (last season),” Bray said. “We saw holes (in Montana’s defense) when we were watching film. We were working all week in practice to try to get the kind of route combinations that would work against their defense.”

Bray tied Peyton Manning for a UT record of seven consecutive games with two or more touchdown passes.

Hunter set a career-high for reception yards in a game — in the first quarter. He had three receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown.

“(Hunter and Rogers) have been doing it all camp,” Dooley said. “They both have big-play ability and we’re going to need them to have a lot of big plays this year for us to win some games.”

Bray threw two interceptions, including one in the end zone, but both were nullified on pass interference calls. It was his first game without a pick since Ole Miss on Nov. 13.

The game started after a one-hour, 40-minute weather delay. The Vols did not run through the “T” for just the second time since 1965.

The Vols jumped out to a 28-0 lead before Montana scored on an 80-yard pass from quarterback Jordan Johnson to receiver Jabin Sambrano with 3:49 left in the first half on the first play of the drive to make it 28-7.

Tauren Poole and the running game continued with their inconsistencies.

 Poole finished with 98 yards on 24 carries. Freshman Marlin Lane added 37 yards on 10 rushes. The team finished with 129 total rushing yards.

“Montana played hard the entire game. They never let up,” said Poole, who rushed for 1,034 yards last season. “We’ve got to be better. Not every game’s going to be perfect.”

Tennessee had only 67 yards on 27 carries in the first half.

“We were hoping we could run it a little better, but Montana did a good job,” Dooley said. “They have all seniors and juniors on defense, and you could tell.”

A young Tennessee defense allowed 346 yards, but only 160 of those by halftime against the fast-paced Montana offense.

“There were a lot of mistakes, but we settled in pretty good,” Dooley said. “There were times that it got a little edgy on that no-huddle where we were a little late lining up, but I thought we managed it better than we did last year.”

Tennessee had five fumbles alone in the first half, but they recovered them all. Four were on offense, and another was in a familiar place — special teams. Lane mishandled a punt and trapped the Vols on their 4-yard line.

Conversely, the Grizzlies had two fumbles, both of which led to UT touchdowns.