Eastern Michigan University's football team is bowl-eligible for the second time in three seasons.

The Eagles defeated visiting Akron 27-7 on Saturday to improve to 6-5 and 4-3 in the Mid-American Conference.

In 2016, EMU finished the regular season 7-5 before losing to Old Dominion in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, the program's first bowl game since 1987.

It also had six or more wins in 2011, 1995, 1989 and 1988 but did not receive a bowl bid.

Entering Saturday, Yahoo predicted to Eagles to play Houston in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 19 in Texas.

The victory over Akron (4-5, 2-4) was the Eagles fourth in their past five games. They began the season 2-0 after upsetting Purdue on the road but then lost their next four by a combined 16 points.

EMU outscored Akron 17-0 in the fourth quarter. Defensive lineman Maxx Crosby, who had a sack and a team-high eight tackles, gave the team a 17-7 lead with a 2-yard interception return for a touchdown at the 13:41 mark.

Less than 20 seconds later, Breck Turner extended the lead with a 6-yard touchdown rush.

The Eagles' defense forced three interceptions and limited Akron's offense to just 90 yards.

Running back Ian Eriksen led EMU with 96 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Turner carried nine times for 44 yards.