Army snaps losing streak, beats Eastern Michigan 58-36

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) After a season-opening run of ''what if?'' losses, Army made sure there would be no late drama.

Joe Walker and Aaron Kemper had touchdown runs Saturday night and Army never trailed in ending a season-opening losing streak with a 58-36 victory over Eastern Michigan.

The win was Army's first as a true road team since November 2010 and ended a 21-game string of losses away from home.

''It means a lot,'' Kemper said. ''This is our first road win in a while, so it's a really good feeling.''

Walker's 63-yard run early in the game gave the Black Knights (1-3) the lead for good and Kemper added a 56-yard scoring run in the second quarter to help Army lead 29-17 at the half.

The Eagles (1-3) trailed 36-30 late in the third quarter but Army answered with two Drue Harris' touchdown runs. A.J. Schurr, who stepped in for injured starting quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw, added a pair of keepers for scores.

''We knew we had to answer,'' Schurr said of the drive that sealed the win. ''All we had to do was keep coming back.

''We didn't flinch.''

The Eagles struggled against Army's option offense most of the night and only forced three punts. Eastern Michigan heads to LSU next weekend with the unenviable task of slowing down star running back Leonard Fournette.

Kemper had 147 yards on 13 carries to lead Army, which got a touchdown run from John Trainor. Ahmad Bradshaw had a 10-yard touchdown pass to Edgar Poe before leaving the game with a leg injury he suffered in the second quarter.

Coach Jeff Monken said the sophomore, who was in a walking boot during the second half, would be evaluated further on Sunday.

Darius Jackson rushed for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Brogan Roback was 28 for 40 for 291 yards and two touchdowns for Eastern Michigan, which lost its second straight.

The Black Knights lost their first three games by a combined 10 points, including a 17-14 loss to Wake Forest a week earlier on a field goal as time expired. They seemed intent on removing any late drama from Saturday's contest.

Walker scored on the third play from scrimmage and Army got a quirky two-point conversion out of a PAT try when long snapper Connor Farley caught a jump pass from tight end Kelvin White.

Army faked a punt near midfield in the second to set up Trainor's 10-yard touchdown run.

When they turned the ball over, the Black Knights minimized the damage. A first-half fumble deep in their own territory ended only with an Eastern Michigan field goal and the teams traded interceptions in the third.

''The defense made some big plays,'' Monken said. ''They didn't quit.

''They came back the next series every time and got some stops and created some turnovers.''

Eastern Michigan had a shot at a touchdown early in the second quarter but came up empty after Harris fumbled into the end zone.

Eddie Daughterty and Kris Strange caught touchdown passes and Shaq Vann had a short scoring run as time expired for the Eagles, who fell to 1-6 all-time against the Black Knights.

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