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No. 18 Wisconsin pulls away from W Illinois 37-3

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — With its running game stuffed, Wisconsin needed another way to get the offense rolling.

Quarterback Tanner McEvoy took over using his arms and legs.

McEvoy overcame a slow start to throw for three touchdowns and run for another, and the 18th-ranked Badgers pulled away from second-tier Western Illinois in the second half to win its home opener 37-3 Saturday.

Melvin Gordon ran for just 38 yards on 17 carries with the Fighting Leathernecks (1-1) consistently stacking the box against one of the country’s best rushers. McEvoy shook off a couple bad throws early to finish 23 of 28 for 283 yards with one interception.

“If people are going to lower it up plus-1 or even more than plus-1, you have to be able to throw the football,” said coach Gary Andersen, referring to foes using extra defenders to stop to the run.

Gordon expected the extra attention. He was still a little frustrated.

“It seemed like everybody and their mama was in that box,” the junior said.

Leading just 9-3 at halftime, the Badgers (1-1) opened things by throwing on first down, using more play-action and going to screens.

McEvoy hit fullback Austin Ramesh on fourth-and-2 for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 9:18 left in the third quarter before connecting with Gordon on an 8-yard scoring pass three minutes later for a 20-point lead.

Western Illinois could only muster a 29-yard field goal by Nathan Knuffman in the first half.

“Coming into halftime we were in the football game,” Western coach Bob Nielson said. “But in the second half they found a way to control the football and we sputtered offensively trying to get anything going.”

It wasn’t the best of starts either for the Fighting Leathernecks after Kyle Hammonds mishandled the opening kickoff at the goal line, allowing the ball out of the end zone before he knelt inside it.

The play was ruled a safety after a review, and Wisconsin had a 2-0 lead with just 1 second off the clock.

It was a grind from there for nearly the rest of the first half.

Some fans booed McEvoy after his early errant passes, including an overthrow of open tight end Sam Arnesen on a rollout left. The Wisconsin faithful worried it might be seeing a repeat of last week’s 28-24 loss to LSU, when McEvoy was of 8 of 24 for 50 yards with two interceptions.

But Wisconsin’s offense finally got going with a three-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard keeper by McEvoy for a 9-0 lead at 2:16 of the second quarter. McEvoy set up his first career major college touchdown with a 37-yard pass up the seam to Arneson, followed by a 10-yard run.

The quarterback faked a handoff to Gordon each play that series. McEvoy displayed exactly the kind of diverse look that Andersen sought to spice up the offense when he chose him over last year’s starter, Joel Stave, in a preseason competition.

The offense kept the momentum to start the second half with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with McEvoy’s short scoring pass to Ramesh.

Making just his second career start for Wisconsin at quarterback, McEvoy got into a rhythm and had 17 straight completions at one point into the second half.

“There was nothing said. There was no magic fairy dust sprinkled on him,” Andersen said. “He just started to execute.”

The junior college transfer also had 55 yards on nine carries, and led the team in rushing until midway through the fourth quarter. It’s quite the feat given the Badgers’ lethal backfield combination of Gordon and Corey Clement.

“We wanted to run downhill. We wanted to make sure (Gordon) wasn’t getting any creases in there and we definitely accomplished that,” Leathernecks linebacker J.J. Raffelson said.

And against an experienced and stocky Big Ten offensive line, too.

As for Gordon, Andersen said he practiced all week after being limited by a hip flexor injury in the second half of last week’s 28-24 loss to LSU.

Gordon is just fine.

“I’m good, I’m good. I’m healthy. Thank God for that,” Gordon said. “A little shaky start, but a win’s a win.”

Western Illinois’ Trenton Norvell was 13 of 21 for 108 yards with an interception, while J.C. Baker ran for 60 yards on 22 carries.

Clement led Wisconsin rushers with 57 yards on nine carries. Receiver Alex Erickson finished with a touchdown and career highs of 122 yards on 10 catches.

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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