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Owens leads Air Force to 44-16 win over Nicholls

By WTOP Staff

PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — Jacobi Owens rushed for 233 yards in his Air Force debut and Devin Rushing scored two short touchdowns, helping the Falcons beat Nicholls 44-16 on Saturday for their 19th straight win over a team from the Football Championship Subdivision.

Owens’ output was the most ever by a Falcons player making his first start, breaking the mark of 218 set by Cody Getz in 2012. It’s also the seventh-most yards in a game all-time at a school known for its vaunted ground game.

The sophomore averaged 10.1 yards per carry as he danced around and through Nicholls defenders. Owens emerged as the primary ball carrier after a big game in the spring.

Air Force finished with 539 yards rushing, the team’s highest total since 2011.

The Colonels kept up with Air Force for just over a quarter before fading. They were beaten 72-0 by the Falcons to start the 2009 season.

Kale Pearson was back at quarterback for Air Force after suffering a torn right ACL in the season opener a year ago. He made all the right reads in the option offense to give Owens & Co. plenty of room to run. Pearson rushed for 46 yards as the Falcons improved to 8-0 in openers under coach Troy Calhoun.

It also was Calhoun’s 50th career win at the Academy.

Garrett Brown, Broam Hart, Shayne Davern and Paco Solano also scored TDs for the Falcons. Davern is making the switch from linebacker to fullback this season.

The Colonels kept up with Air Force early on, tying the game at 9-apiece on a 37-yard field goal by Francisco Condado with 13:20 left in the second quarter.

That’s when the Falcons snapped out of their offensive doldrums, scoring 35 straight points to coast to the win.

The Air Force defense certainly did its part in the second half, holding Kalen Henderson and the Colonels in check. Henderson didn’t have much time to throw and was sacked four times. The senior threw for 136 yards and ran for 1 yard on 12 attempts.

Nicholls fell to 3-21 against FBS schools since 2001. The Colonels beat Western Michigan last season with Henderson at the helm.

Tobias Lofton scored an 18-yard TD for Nicholls when he broke through the line and went untouched into the end zone late in the first quarter. The Colonels added another in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter when backup QB Beaux Hebert connected with Darryl Watson for a 10-yard score.

The Colonels have a difficult start to their season, playing five of their first six games on the road.

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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