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49ers shut out by Broncos in Levi’s Stadium debut

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers turned their hyped Levi’s Stadium debut into a real dud. So bad, in fact, tens of thousands of fans left the snazzy new Silicon Valley digs midway through the third quarter.

Colin Kaepernick was thoroughly outshined by 38-year-old Peyton Manning in Denver’s 34-0 rout Sunday, with the San Francisco quarterback going 5 for 9 for 39 yards in his two series.

The 49ers turned the ball over four times and gave up big plays on defense.

“We’re off. It’s that kind of off right now. It’s a little, it’s correctable, but it shows up,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “That’s football, it punishes mistakes. It rewards execution and precision. That’s where we’re off right now. We’re not a precise team.”

Manning threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Julius Thomas and dominated in his two series to spoil the NFL debut at sparkling $1.2 billion Levi’s Stadium.

Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes beat the Seattle Sounders in the stadium’s first sporting event Aug. 2.

“It’s been a good start. That’s all it is, though,” Manning said. “We’ve still got some things we have to improve on.”

The 38-year-old Manning, beginning his 17th season after throwing for an NFL-record 55 touchdowns last year, completed 12 of 14 passes for 102 yards and a 120.8 rating. He was 8 for 8 on Denver’s second drive, then backup Brock Osweiler took over and threw for a score and led another touchdown drive in a preseason matchup of the past two Super Bowl losers.

Demaryius Thomas had three of his five catches on Denver’s opening drive, including a 20-yard gain. That gives Thomas 10 receptions for 89 yards in Denver’s two victories against the NFC West’s powerhouses, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco.

“He’s Peyton Manning. I don’t know if there’s anything more to say beyond that,” San Francisco safety Eric Reid said.

C.J. Anderson ran for a 1-yard TD, while Matt Prater kicked a 26-yard field goal and Mitch Ewald added a late 22-yarder. San Francisco’s typically spot-on Phil Dawson sailed two long kicks wide right.

Denver did it on defense, too, getting two interceptions and a fumble recovery and a goal-line stand to end the game. The Broncos recovered another fumble on special teams.

The 49ers lost safety Antoine Bethea to a concussion early in the second quarter. He was able to walk off on his own, but later left for the locker room.

As San Francisco struggled in all phases, tens of thousands of fans made their way out midway through the third quarter — certainly helping to alleviate traffic concerns. The 49ers ended a four-decade run at Candlestick Park last season.

“It’s nicer than nice. I’d heard a lot about it,” Manning said of the new stadium. “Of course it was a great day for football. Beautiful setting, great sight lines for the quarterback on the field. I was very impressed.”

Two key members of San Francisco’s offense made their first appearances of the preseason, with Frank Gore running for 9 yards on the first of his two carries. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree also appeared as defensive stars Patrick Willis and Justin Smith got the day off.

Kaepernick had his chances during his brief stint on the field.

“We just have to finish our drives off,” Kaepernick said. “We just haven’t finished the last few plays of the drive.”

On third-and-4 from the 37 the first drive, Kaepernick barely overthrew Brandon Lloyd in the end zone. Dawson then missed his first field goal attempt in the new stadium, sending a 55-yarder wide right. He missed wide right again from the other end on a 44-yarder late in the first half, and these weren’t in the unpredictable elements of Candlestick.

The 49ers are scoreless in their last seven quarters and have been outscored 57-3 this preseason. They lost 23-3 at Baltimore on Aug. 7.

“It’s the preseason, but it all means something,” left tackle Joe Staley said. “Scoring points is the name of the game, and we haven’t done it. … It will be a real test this week to see how we rebound from this.”

___

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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