RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) Parker McKinney threw three touchdown passes, Joshua Carter rushed for 112 yards and a score and Eastern Kentucky beat Central Arkansas 42-14 on Saturday night to hand the Bears their first conference loss.

McKinney gave Eastern Kentucky (6-3, 2-1 Atlantic Sun Conference) a 7-0 first-quarter lead with a 17-yard scoring toss to Jayden Higgins.

Central Arkansas (4-5, 3-1) answered with backup quarterback Clifton McDowell's 15-yard touchdown run to knot the score early in the second quarter.

Momentum swung the Colonels' way when John Blunt Jr. picked off a Will McElvain pass and returned it 36 yards to the Central Arkansas 2-yard line. Braedon Sloan ran it in on the next play and then scored on a 4-yard run with 38 seconds left to put EKU up 21-7 at halftime.

McKinney threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Higgins and a 28-yarder to Cornelius McCoy in the second half. Carter capped the Colonels' scoring with a 10-yard run.

McElvain completed just 7 of 22 passes for 94 yards with two interceptions for Central Arkansas. McDowell threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jordan Owens in the fourth quarter. It was Owens' first collegiate catch.

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