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Vanderbilt rallies to defeat UMass 34-31

By WTOP Staff

BRIAN HINCHMAN
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ralph Webb scored on a 4-yard run with 1:08 remaining to give Vanderbilt a come-from-behind 34-31 win over Massachusetts on Saturday.

The winning score was set up on a 36-yard completion from Patton Robinette to C.J. Duncan.

Robinette, a sophomore, entered the game in the second quarter after true freshman Wade Freebeck started the game. Freebeck was the third different starting quarterback for Vanderbilt in its three games.

UMass (0-3) drove to the Vanderbilt 4-yard line only to have Blake Lucas miss a 22-yard field-goal attempt to the left with 2 seconds remaining.

Robinette scored on a 1-yard run at 10:02 of the second quarter to give Vanderbilt its first offensive touchdown of the season.

Vanderbilt (1-2) trailed by as many as 11 in the second half and scored 14 unanswered points in the final quarter to earn the win.

The victory is the Commodores’ first of the season and the first in the career of head coach Derek Mason.

Mason got the game ball right after the final horn and kept it in his arm as he shook hands with UMass head coach Mark Whipple and headed off field.

Freebeck played the entire first quarter and was 1 for 2 for 3 yards with an interception. He is the fourth quarterback to play for Vanderbilt this season.

Robinette started the first game of the season, a 37-7 loss home loss to Temple, while Stephen Rivers, a transfer from LSU and younger brother of San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers, started the second game. Vanderbilt lost that game 41-3 to Ole Miss to open the Southeastern Conference schedule for both teams at LP Field, the home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

UMass, which raced out to a 14-0 lead, scored on five of its first seven drives and that included a kneel-down by quarterback Blake Frohnapfel to end the first half.

Frohnapfel threw for 205 yards on 17-of-34 passing. He connected with Rodney Mills for a 13-yard TD to start the scoring for the Minutemen.

Frohnapfel wasn’t the only Minuteman to throw a touchdown pass to Mills. Brian McDonald threw a 53-yard pass to Mills on a fake punt for Massachusetts’ second score. McDonald is a former quarterback who played at Fitchburg (Massachusetts) State in 2011 before transferring to Morris (Minnesota) State to focus on punting in 2012. He is now in graduate school.

Robinette threw for 147 yards and a touchdown while connecting on 15 of 21 attempts.

It was apparent the Commodores wanted to focus on the running game due to the number of quarterbacks they’ve used so far this season. They rushed for 169 yards on 40 carries, led by Webb’s 119 on 26 attempts.

Massachusetts running back Lorenzo Woodley scored a career-high two touchdowns. He had a 2-yard scamper in the second quarter and another 2-yard run in the third quarter. He finished with 59 yards on 22 carries.

Vanderbilt defensive lineman/linebacker Caleb Azubike had two sacks and led the team, along with linebacker Nigel Bowden, with seven tackles.

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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