WEST POINT, N.Y.(AP) -- Donovan Travis came up with two pivotal
picks in the fourth quarter to make Army a winning team -
something that could rarely be said about the Black Knights in
recent seasons.

Travis returned his second interception 18 yards for the
go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and Army defeated Ball
State 24-17 on Saturday.

Travis picked off Cardinals quarterback Kelly Page with 6:41
remaining and sprinted into the end zone to break a 17-all tie
for the Black Knights (2-1).

Earlier in the fourth, with the score tied and Ball State in
Army territory, Travis picked off Page's pass over the middle on
a third-and-30.

"I just read his eyes," Travis said. "It gave us momentum, let
us waste some time off the clock and helped secure the win we
got today."

Army was outgained 375-265 and fumbled six times, losing only
one, but four interceptions and a solid ground game (207 yards
rushing) allowed the Black Knights to move above .500 under new
coach Rich Ellerson, who is trying to turn around a program that
has languished through more than a decade of losing.

"It feels right. It feels like that's the way it should be,"
Ellerson said. "But we don't want to start the celebration too
soon. It absolutely is a process."

Stephen Anderson made 15 tackles for Army.

Page threw for a 154 yards and touchdown, but was intercepted
three times for Ball State (0-3) of the Mid-American Conference.

Trent Steelman threw for 58 yards and touchdowns and ran for 38
to lead Army.

Army grabbed the lead with an 80-yard drive on its first
possession, capped by Jameson Carter's 1-yard touchdown run. The
Black Knights never trailed and survived six fumbles.

Ball State recovered a fumble in the first quarter, setting up
Page's 15-yard scoring run. The teams traded field goals
including a career-long 45-yarder by Army's Alex Carlton to even
the game at 10.

Late in the second quarter, Cardinals backup quarterback Tanner
Justice was hit as he threw and his pass was intercepted by a
diving Mario Hill. The Black Knights followed with a 53-yard
drive, which wide-out Alejandro Villanueva kept alive with a
fancy juggling catch on a 3rd-and-20 pass that had been tipped.

Villanueva and Steelman connected two plays later on a wide-open
look over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown, Steelman's first
career TD pass.

Ball State tied it at 17 on Page's 34-yard pass to Torieal
Gibson in the third quarter.

Army retired the No. 61 of former Outland Trophy winner Joe
Steffey, who played lineman for the Black Knights from 1945-47,
during a halftime ceremony.