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Penn St. powers past Akron in 21-3 win

By WTOP Staff

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Christian Hackenberg threw for three touchdowns and 319 yards and Penn State was able to overcome its own offensive inconsistency to beat Akron 21-3 on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions (2-0) totaled 425 yards total offense but two interceptions and a fumble kept Akron (1-1) within reach until late in the game.

The game featured 82 passes and 527 passing yards as opposed to just 175 on the ground. Akron’s Kyle Pohl was 24 of 46 for 208 yards but the Zips were unable to hit anything deep against the Nittany Lions.

Ahead just 7-3 with 8:04 remaining in the third quarter and facing a 3rd-and-25 from his 31, Hackenberg hooked up with Eugene Lewis for 28 yards into Akron territory, and he hit Lewis again over the middle on another third-down play to Akron’s 18.

Belton took a direct snap and under pressure floated a pass toward Hackenberg that fell incomplete, but Hackenberg then rifled a 13-yard scoring pass to Jesse James for a 14-3 lead. James bulled his way in from the 2-yard line carrying two Zip defenders.

Penn State attempted to establish control by forcing an Akron punt and running the wildcat offense with consecutive direct snaps to Akeel Lynch, the leading rusher with 45 yards on seven carries.

With a third-and-8 from Akron’s 27, Hackenberg made the Akron defensive front jump off sides two straight plays and the Lions set up at the Zips’ 17. But a Hackenberg floater toward Lewis was picked off by Akron’s Bre’ Ford and returned to Penn State’s 47.

The game turned again when Akron failed to pick up less than a yard on fourth down when linebacker Brandon Bell and defensive end C.J. Olaniyan stopped Conor Hundley for a 2-yard loss.

Akron was guilty of a facemask call on Penn State’s first play and Hackenberg found James on a 44-yard touchdown strike to push the lead to 21-3.

Akron tried to cling to life with a 15-play drive that covered 67 yards and featured eight Pohl completions but ended at Penn State’s 13 with four straight incompletions.

Both teams moved the ball in opening quarter, Akron cruising downfield 60 yards on its initial possession off quick, drop-back passes from Pohl. But Pohl threw away a first-and-goal pass and was sacked on successive plays by Penn State’s Anthony Zettel and Jordan Lucas. Kicker Tom O’Leary missed a 31-yard field goal.

One series later, Penn State’s Hackenberg found Lewis open for 20 yards, DaeSean Hamilton for 15 more and capped it off with an audible and pump-fake that found Belton wide open down the left sideline for a 22-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

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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