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Huskies hold off Eagles in wild 59-52 win

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Cyler Miles ran for three touchdowns rushing and threw for another in his season debut at quarterback, and Washington withstood seven touchdown passes from Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., in a wild 59-52 win on Saturday.

Washington jumped to a 21-0 lead in less than eight minutes, saw that entire advantage evaporate under a barrage of Adams TD passes, then took advantage of a key turnover early in the fourth quarter to finally shake the FCS powerhouse.

Down 45-44, Miles’ 5-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth quarter and the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to Kasen Williams put the Huskies (2-0) up 52-45. Eastern Washington (2-1) was driving for a potential tying score but Terence Grady was stripped at the Washington 16 and Travis Feeney recovered. Miles then scored on a 3-yard run with 7:45 left for a 59-45 lead.

Adams finished 31 of 46 for a career-high 475 yards.

Adams set records for most touchdown passes in school history and a new career high in yards passing. The seven TD passes were the most ever allowed by Washington. And if his day wasn’t full enough, Adams attempted the onside kick after throwing his seventh TD but the loose ball was recovered by Washington.

The teams combined for 1,109 total yards of offense. There were only three punts and Eastern Washington — ranked No. 2 at the FCS level — committed both turnovers. Each proved costly.

After Washington took a 7-0 lead, Mario Brown fumbled the ensuing kickoff and three plays later Lavon Coleman scored on a 9-yard run for an early 14-0 lead. But the Grady fumble was even more damaging to the Eagles hopes of pulling the unlikely upset.

Down 52-45, Eastern was marching again. Adams found Grady for 16 yards down to the Washington 16, but John Timu ripped the ball free and Feeney scooped up the loose ball returning it to the 35. Worn down, the Eagles could not stop the Huskies running game and Miles’ third TD run proved to be the capper.

Washington could not stop the Eagles in the pass game and Eastern Washington had no answers in slowing the Huskies on the ground. It made for a wild, entertaining afternoon that likely drove both defensive coordinators crazy.

The Huskies finished with 356 yards rushing, using their superior size to push around the Eagles undermanned defensive front. But Adams did his part in exposing the weaknesses in the Huskies secondary. He hit nine different receivers and made pinpoint passes all afternoon.

Coleman had 118 yards rushing. Linebacker Shaq Thompson made his debut as a running back with one series in the first half that was capped by a 57-yard TD run. Washington looked like a completely different offense than last week at Hawaii thanks to Miles and the threat of his running ability. He was 14 of 24 passing for 180 yards and had a 55-yard catch-and-run TD pass to John Ross.

Eastern scored on both drives in the third quarter, the second aided by a careless unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Washington’s Marcus Peters that kept the Eagles drive alive after Adams was sacked on third down. Seven plays later, on fourth-and-3, Adams found Cory Mitchell for a 22-yard TD, Mitchell just getting his foot down inbound. That gave the Eagles a 45-44 lead, their last.

Miles completed three passes on the Huskies next drive and had a 10-yard run on fourth-and-3. His 5-yard run with 14:54 left gave the Huskies a lead they would not relinquish.

Cooper Kupp had eight receptions for 145 yards and three touchdowns for Eastern. Kendrick Bourne also had eight catches for 114 yards and a score.

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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