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No. 3 Oregon downs No. 7 Michigan State 46-27

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Trailing Michigan State 27-18 in the third quarter and facing a third-and-10, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota found himself confronting a decision while on the run: Either pitch the ball to freshman Royce Freeman, or try a keeper.

Mariota, who is as adept with his feet as he is with his arm, decided on the flip to Freeman for the first down, and the No. 3 Ducks would go on to score the first of four unanswered touchdowns for a 46-27 victory Saturday night over the No. 7 Spartans.

Afterward, many of the Ducks — and even the Spartans — pointed to that play as the pivotal moment of the game, which was billed as the premier nonconference matchup of the season.

“I was looking for him to run it,” said a surprised Freeman, who had a pair of rushing touchdowns in the victory. “I was going to block for him.”

Mariota finished with 318 yards passing and three touchdowns, solidifying his position as an early Heisman favorite. He now has 69 touchdown passes for his career, an Oregon record.

Redshirt freshman Devon Allen had three catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks.

The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak for the defending Big Ten- and Rose Bowl-champion Spartans, who went 13-1 last season. Connor Cook threw for 343 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“I just tried to keep a calm mindset. I tried not to get caught up in the game, caught up in the moment at all,” Cook said. “They just made more plays than us. We had some opportunities on offense and I needed to grasp them and I didn’t.”

The Spartans had the second-ranked defense in the nation last year, allowing opponents an average of just over 252 yards per game. But the high-flying Oregon offense — combined with temperatures approaching 100 degrees — appeared to wear on Michigan State as the game went on.

The two teams both went three-and-out on their opening series and it appeared that defenses would rule the day. The Spartans reached Oregon territory midway through the quarter, but on third-and-10 on the 38, Erick Dargan intercepted Cook and ran it back 36 yards.

The Ducks capped the drive when Thomas Tyner barreled over the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown, and Oregon added the conversion for an 8-0 lead.

Matt Wogan’s 28-yard field goal pushed the Ducks’ lead to 11-0. But Michigan State answered with an impressive drive topped by Jeremy Langford’s 16-yard scoring dash.

Mariota hit Allen with a 70-yard touchdown pass to give the Ducks an 18-7 lead with 10:12 to go in the half. Allen, the NCAA’s reigning 110-meter hurdles champion, shook off strong safety RJ Williamson before sprinting in for the score.

The scoring pushed Mariota past Darron Thomas (66) on Oregon’s all-time list. Mariota has thrown at least one touchdown in each of the 28 games he’s played at Oregon.

Michael Geiger kicked a 34-yard field goal and Cook added a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tony Lippett with 2:26 left before the break to pull the Spartans within a point. Michigan State took a 24-18 lead with 18 seconds to go when Josiah Price leaped to grab Cook’s 7-yard TD pass into the end zone.

The Ducks were hurt early in the first half when junior offensive lineman Andre Yruretagoyena was carted off the field with what appeared to be a right leg injury.

Michigan State padded its lead with Geiger’s 42-year-old field goal, but Mariota found Allen with another touchdown pass, this time from 24 yards out, to cut the Spartans’ lead to 27-25.

It was earlier on that series that Mariota made the momentum-changing pitch to Freeman for 17 yards.

“Once I saw Royce five, 10 yards down the field, I just thought he could get there faster than I could,” Mariota said.

Even Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio pointed to the play as the moment the game shifted.

“We had to stop the momentum and we had him dead to right and he got out. We had him. I even said, ‘He’s sacked.'” Dantonio said. “But again, you have to credit him, that’s why he’s the player he is.”

On the next series, Oregon regained the lead on Mariota’s 37-yard scoring pass to Keanon Lowe before Freeman’s 38-yard TD run.

With the Spartans threatening on Oregon’s 31 midway through the fourth quarter, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu intercepted a pass intended for receiver AJ Troup. Freeman added a 14-yard touchdown run for the final margin.

The Spartans’ 11-game winning streak included a 34-24 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship and a 24-20 victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks were the highest-ranked nonconference opponent the Spartans had faced since they played top-ranked Nebraska in 1996.

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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