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Boone throws for 4 TDs, Duke routs Elon 52-13

By WTOP Staff

JOEDY McCREARY
AP Sports Writer

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Anthony Boone matched a career high with four touchdown passes and Duke opened its season by routing Elon 52-13 on Saturday night.

Issac Blakeney caught two of those scores from Boone, covering 19 and 4 yards. Jamison Crowder caught the other two, from 46 and 13 yards.

Boone — who also threw four TDs two years ago against Virginia — finished this one 22 of 33 for 247 yards, and Shaq Powell added a 2-yard touchdown run.

Ross Martin kicked a 49-yard field goal and backup quarterback Thomas Sirk added two late touchdown runs for the defending ACC Coastal Division champions, who scored TDs on five of their first six possessions.

John Gallagher kicked field goals of 36 and 35 yards and B.J. Bennett added a late 2-yard touchdown run for Elon.

The Blue Devils established themselves as one of the feel-good stories of 2013 when they reeled off eight straight wins, cracked the national rankings, captured their first division title and reached their second consecutive bowl berth — the first time in school history that’s happened.

On this night, anyway, it seemed like last year never ended because the Blue Devils simply had their way with an outmanned Elon team coming off a 2-10 season, breaking in a new coach and playing its first game as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.

The Blue Devils rolled up a 567-328 advantage in total yards and didn’t let the Phoenix advance deeper than the Duke 17 until the fourth quarter.

Blakeney capped Duke’s opening drive by pulling down a lofted pass from Boone in the back corner of the end zone to make it 7-0. His second scoring catch came with 1:01 left in the half, when he took a quick pass from Boone, slipped out of a tackle and raced 19 yards into the end zone to make it 28-6.

In between, Boone found a streaking Crowder down the left sideline and placed the ball over his shoulder at the goal line for a long score that made it 14-3 on the third play of the second quarter. They hooked up again on the opening drive of the second half, with Crowder diving in the end zone to pull in Boone’s shorter scoring pass.

Powell’s short touchdown run capped a 12-play drive and stretched the lead to 21-3 with 8:08 before halftime. From there, the rout was on.

___

Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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