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Dorsett’s 2 TDs help Miami top Florida A&M 41-7

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Phillip Dorsett caught two touchdown passes, Duke Johnson eclipsed the 2,000-yard career rushing mark and Miami topped Florida A&M 41-7 Saturday night.

Dorsett had scoring grabs of 4 and 32 yards from Brad Kaaya for the Hurricanes (1-1), who beat the Rattlers for the ninth straight time. Johnson had 97 yards on nine carries, including a 1-yard scoring run, and Gus Johnson ran 15 yards for another Miami touchdown.

The win came in the 100th game of Miami coach Al Golden’s career, evening his record at 50-50.

Kaaya completed 12 of 22 passes for 177 yards, with the two touchdowns and two interceptions. Miami’s Trayone Gray had a 10-yard touchdown run — on the first carry of his career — with 4:17 left.

John Boston recovered a botched punt snap in the end zone for Florida A&M (0-2). Brandon Norwood had 74 yards on three catches for the Rattlers.

Florida A&M brought its famed band down from Tallahassee, and the “Marching 100” — as expected — put on a scintillating show at halftime, replete with the performers lining up in a “305” formation, a nod to the primary area code in the Miami area.

By then, though, the game was decided.

The Hurricanes got touchdowns on four of their first six possessions, rolling out to a 28-0 lead late in the first half. There were 27 plays in the first quarter, with the line of scrimmage on every one — regardless of who had the ball — being in Florida A&M territory. Miami opened drives on the Rattlers’ 49 twice and another on their 13.

Dorsett’s 4-yard touchdown opened the scoring. His 32-yard catch in the back of the end zone late in the half made it 28-0, with Dorsett diving near the end line and staying in bounds.

Johnson had a 1-yard run for Miami’s second score, and his 55-yard carry highlighted the drive that was capped by Edwards’ touchdown and pushed Miami’s lead to 21-0.

Johnson has played in 22 games for Miami, with rushing touchdowns in 12 of them. Miami is now 12-0 in those games.

It was Johnson’s first home game since Oct. 26, after his 2013 season ended early because of a broken ankle suffered at Florida State. His family obtained more than 100 tickets to Saturday’s game — “Return of the Duke,” they called it — for friends and relatives. They saw him climb up the Miami all-time lists, passing Edgerrin James for No. 5 in all-purpose yards and Frank Gore for No. 9 in career rushing by a Hurricane.

Johnson now has 2,047 rushing yards at Miami.

Dorsett’s two touchdown catches matched a career-best — his other 2-TD game coming against North Carolina State in 2012.

Miami got many of its first-stringers out before the third quarter ended. Johnson’s night was over by halftime and Kaaya was replaced by senior transfer Jake Heaps in the third quarter.

The Hurricanes improved to 179-4 since 1985 when scoring at least 31 points.

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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