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Trickett leads West Virginia over Towson 54-0

By WTOP Staff

JOHN RABY
AP Sports Writer

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Clint Trickett threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, leading West Virginia to a 54-0 win over Towson on Saturday night.

The Mountaineers (1-1) scored on six of their first seven drives with little resistance and got the production from their running game that was missing in a season-opening loss to Alabama.

Trickett followed up a solid performance last week by completing 35 of 40 passes for 348 yards before being replaced by freshman William Crest late in the third quarter.

In the first meeting between the schools, Towson (0-2) of the Championship Subdivision couldn’t keep up with West Virginia’s up-tempo spread offense. The Mountaineers ran 96 offensive plays and amassed 606 total yards.

West Virginia posted its first shutout since beating Coastal Carolina 31-0 in the 2010 season opener.

The Mountaineers also scored more points than in any game last year.

Trickett had plenty of help. Four teammates had rushing touchdowns and 11 different receivers had catches, led by Kevin White with 10 receptions for 101 yards.

West Virginia’s Rushel Shell showed he’s capable both with his feet and hands, following a 16-yard run with an 18-yard reception on a screen pass in the third quarter. Shell had a game-high 71 rushing yards and had four receptions for 47 yards.

Trickett completed 13 straight passes at one point. Right after the streak was snapped, Trickett’s 19-yard scoring toss to Jordan Thompson early in the third quarter put the Mountaineers ahead 38-0.

Later in the quarter, Trickett threw a short pass that Cody Clay caught near the ground in the end zone on fourth down. It was initially ruled a touchdown but was overturned on review and the Mountaineers turned the ball over on downs.

West Virginia got some of those points back with a safety on the next play when Towson’s Connor Frazier was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

Frazier couldn’t shake the constant pressure of the defense in his second career start. Towson got past midfield twice and was limited to 122 total yards.

West Virginia’s only trouble on offense came on finishing drives early in the game.

It needed three rushing plays from inside the Towson 5 on the opening series before Wendell Smallwood’s 1-yard TD. With a first-and-goal from the 2 on West Virginia’s next series, Shell was stuffed for a 2-yard loss from the 1 on third down and the Mountaineers settled for a short field goal, while Josh Lambert missed a 34-yard try on the third series.

West Virginia got clicking in the second quarter when Mario Alford converted a 6-yard reception on third down inside the 5 to set up Shell’s 2-yard scoring run.

Later, Trickett’s short lofted pass to Alford initially was ruled incomplete before the officiating crew got together and ruled it a touchdown. On West Virginia’s next series, Trickett scored on a 5-yard run for a 31-0 halftime 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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