DALLAS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Josh McNary returned a fumble 55 yards for a touchdown Thursday helping Army to a 16-14 win over Southern Methodist in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.
The Black Knights' offense backed McNary's defensive score with a 13-yard scoring run by Malcolm Brown later in the first quarter and a 44-yard Alex Carlton field goal shortly before halftime for a 16-0 lead.
Army (7-6) was able to make that lead stand up through the second half and collected its first victory in a bowl game since the 1985 Peach Bowl. Thursday's Armed Forces Bowl game was the Black Knights' first bowl appearance since 1996.
SMU (7-7) had a pair of second-half touchdown passes by Kyle Padron, who first hit Aldrick Robinson on an 8-yard scoring play and then got the Mustangs within 16-14 with 9:20 to go when Darius Johnson scored on a 28-yard pass.
Padron finished 23-of-34 passing for 303 yards but also had two early interceptions. Johnson caught nine pass for 152 yards. Zach Line rushed 17 times for 103 yards for SMU.
Army quarterback Trent Steelman completed only two passes on seven attempts but the Black Knights, one of the leading rushing teams in the nation, ran the ball 50 times for 192 yards.