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No. 20 K-State rallies past Iowa State 32-28

By WTOP Staff

LUKE MEREDITH
AP Sports Writer

AMES, Iowa (AP) — For about a quarter, it looked as if Kansas State was going to get run out of Ames.

The Wildcats survived a furious upset bid from Iowa State by leaning heavily on quarterback Jake Waters and a defense that shined in the second half.

Waters had an 8-yard touchdown run with 1:30 left to push 20th-ranked Kansas State past host Iowa State 32-28 on Saturday.

Waters threw for 239 yards and ran for a career-high 138 yards for the Wildcats (2-0, 1-0 Big 12). They allowed 28 consecutive points in one stretch of the first half, but Waters rescued the Wildcats with a stellar winning drive.

Waters followed a key 23-yard completion to Tyler Lockett with a 25-yard run with just under two minutes left. Then, Waters capped an 80-yard drive that took just 1:31 with his second touchdown run of the day.

“We’ve got a lot of mistakes to (clean up). The good thing is if you can win when you’re making those mistakes, there are some attitude issues that could serve in your favor,'” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

Jarvis West caught and threw touchdown passes and ran a punt back for a third TD for Iowa State (0-2, 0-1), which was held scoreless in the second half.

It was a tough loss for the Cyclones: They nearly knocked off a ranked opponent just a week after losing by 20 to FCS school North Dakota State and two days after starting tackle Jacob Gannon quit the team for personal reasons.

“We did certain things necessary to put us in position to win the football game. We didn’t do certain things at the end to allow us to win the football game,” Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said.

Still, the Cyclones nearly pulled off a stunner.

Kansas State’s Randall Evans ripped the ball away from West for an interception with 9:15 left. The Wildcats went 54 yards in 74 seconds, making it 28-26 on a 4-yard TD run by Charles Jones.

Waters went for the tie on 2-point conversion run. But Kamari Cotton-Moya — who was ejected from last week’s loss for targeting — sprinted to the hole, turned Waters sideways at the goal line and preserved Iowa State’s lead.

That seemed like it would be the game’s key play. But Lockett’s crucial reception, which held up upon review, helped give Waters one more chance to decide the game with his feet.

Jones added 75 yards rushing for the Wildcats.

“Our line gave me some great holes to run through. I had to take on that running game on a little more than I usually do,” Waters said. “When we needed a play, we made it — and that’s big.”

Iowa State was in need of a decent showing after allowing 506 yards and getting shut out for the final 44 minutes last week.

The Wildcats made it look way too easy way too soon.

Lockett went 57 yards off a short catch just four plays in, and Jones walked in untouched from four yards out for a quick 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats tacked on a pair of field goals before Iowa State finally woke up.

The Cyclones flipped things around by relying on West’s versatility.

West kicked off his career day with a leaping 17-yard TD catch. Then he took a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 14-13 lead early in the second quarter.

West ended a brilliant first half with a perfectly thrown 29-yard TD pass to Allen Lazard off a double reverse. That made it 28-13 Iowa State, thrilling a capacity crowd that once seemed resigned to defeat.

West, a senior, is just the fourth player since 1996 with a passing, receiving and punt return touchdown in the same game, according to STATS LCC.

“You expect a fifth-year guy to step up. He played like a leader and like a guy we need him to be all season,” Rhoads said.

But Kansas State pulled to 28-20 just before halftime on a plunge from Waters following a Lockett catch that had Iowa State fans howling, claiming he was out of bounds.

Waters — who grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, cheering for the Cyclones — took over in the second half and handed his boyhood team one of its toughest defeats in years.

Rhoads is now 0-6 against the Wildcats.

“I was proud of Jake. In this game, you’d like to think that they compete in every single game exactly the same way. This one has a little different meaning to him because his family is here. He had to beg borrow and steal for tickets,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “He was ready to compete.”

___

Follow Luke Meredith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP

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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