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Worley, North lead Vols past Arkansas State 34-19

By WTOP Staff

STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Justin Worley threw two touchdown passes to Marquez North and ran for a third score Saturday in Tennessee’s 34-19 victory over Arkansas State.

Worley threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to North in the second quarter and found him again for a 14-yard score in the third period. Worley also scored from 5 yards out late in the first half for his first career touchdown run. He went 22 of 38 for 247 yards with one interception.

Fredi Knighten scored on a 4-yard run and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tres Houston for Arkansas State (1-1). The Red Wolves’ other touchdown came on DeKeathan Williams’ 24-yard run.

Tennessee is off to its fourth straight 2-0 start, though it has finished below .500 thus far in each year of that streak. Tennessee, which is trying to end a string of four straight losing seasons, plays at No. 4 Oklahoma next week.

Arkansas State has won a share of the last three Sun Belt titles, but it has struggled against major-conference teams such as Tennessee. In 45 attempts, the Red Wolves have never beaten an SEC team when it belonged to that conference, though the Red Wolves did beat Ole Miss in 1915 and Texas A&M in 2008 when those schools played in other leagues. Arkansas State’s 18-14 victory over Texas A&M in its 2008 season opener represents its last victory over a team from the Power 5 conferences.

Tennessee was seeking to solidify its case that it had solved its problems against mobile quarterbacks, an issue that haunted the Vols last season. The Volunteers opened this season by containing Chuckie Keeton in a 38-7 victory over Utah State. Knighten’s first carry went 12 yards, matching Keeton’s entire rushing total against Tennessee.

Knighten’s 4-yard touchdown run around the right end on Arkansas State’s opening possession gave the Red Wolves an early 6-0 lead, as Luke Ferguson missed the extra-point attempt. Tennessee held him relatively in check from that point on. Knighten finished 21 of 34 for 166 yards and rushed for 65 yards on 14 carries.

Worley completed his first nine passes of the day as Tennessee recovered from that early 6-0 deficit by scoring 17 points on its next three drives.

The Vols cut the lead to 6-3 on an Aaron Medley 20-yard field goal that was set up by a 56-yard completion to Von Pearson, who headed to the locker room on crutches with an apparent ankle injury later in the first half. Jalen Hurd scored from 4 yards out to put Tennessee ahead for good later in the first quarter, then Worley’s first touchdown pass to North made it 17-6 early in the second period.

On Tennessee’s second touchdown drive, Worley went 3 of 3 for 51 yards in third-down situations.

Arkansas State threatened to get back into the game with trickery. Facing fourth-and-11 from their own 27, the Red Wolves faked a punt that resulted in a 24-yard completion from Ferguson to Chris Stone. Arkansas State converted a fourth-and-1 later in that drive and scored on Knighten’s pass to Houston, though its two-point conversion attempt failed.

The Vols answered on their next possession with a 71-yard drive that ended in Worley’s touchdown run.

Arkansas State continually hurt itself with mistakes. The Red Wolves were penalized nine times for 75 yards, with all of them coming in the first three quarters. Trailing 24-12 early in the third quarter, Arkansas State blew a shot at great field position when J.D. McKissic fumbled on a punt return at the Tennessee 36. On Tennessee’s ensuing possession, Worley connected with North in the end zone again.

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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