YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) _ Eric Powell scored two touchdowns and Eastern Michigan used a solid defensive effort to beat Akron 38-17 Saturday night.

Walt Church completed 15 of 30 passes for 225 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for the Eagles (1-2, 1-1 Mid-American), who overcame a quick 10-0 deficit to win their home opener.

Eastern Michigan, which allowed an average of almost 500 yards in lopsided losses to Michigan State and Miami of Ohio, limited the Zips to just 246 yards. The Eagles sacked Akron quarterback James Washington seven times for 50 yards in losses and forced three turnovers, including a fumble returned 79 yards for a touchdown by safety James Willingham.

The Zips (2-2, 1-1), who rushed for 318 yards in a 25-15 win over Temple last week, netted just 41 against the Eagles. Nine of their 18 possessions ended in negative yardage.

Still, a couple of Eastern Michigan turnovers helped the Zips take a 10-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Ray Pung stripped the ball from Eagles punt returner Lincoln Dupree and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown after 1:38. Only 2:08 later, Zac Derr's 40-yard field goal gave the Zips a 10-0 lead after Ron Smith recovered Church's fumble at the Eastern Michigan 22-yard line.

The Eagles responded with touchdowns on a 1-yard plunge from Powell and a 3-yard run by Reggie Gage to take a 14-10 lead. Both scores were set up by long passes from Church, including a 30-yarder to Jermaine Sheffield.

But the Zips, limited to just minus-10 yards in their first five possessions, responded with Washington's 58-yard scoring bomb to Lavel Bailey for a 17-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Eagles went ahead for good on Willingham's fumble return in the second quarter. He picked up the bobble by Akron tailback Brandon Payne at his own 21-yard line and, behind a great midfield block from teammate Donald McCall, went all the way to put Eastern Michigan up 21-17

The only third-quarter scoring was a 35-yard field goal from Toller Starnes that upped the Eagles' lead to 24-17.

Washington led the Zips back on a drive that gave them a first down at the Eastern Michigan 7-yard line, but a goal-line interception by McCall ended the threat.

Church's 40-yard completion to Brandon Campbell set up his own two-yard touchdown jaunt early in the fourth quarter that gave the Eagles a 31-17 lead. Powell completed the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown.