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West Virginia squeezes past Maryland 40-37

By WTOP Staff

DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Clint Trickett passed for 511 yards and four touchdowns, and West Virginia gave away a 22-point lead before Josh Lambert kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired to give the Mountaineers a 40-37 victory over Maryland on Saturday.

West Virginia (2-1) let a 28-6 lead dwindle to 28-27 in the third quarter, then gave away a 10-point advantage in the fourth quarter before Trickett directed a 65-yard drive to set up Lambert’s game-winning kick.

Trickett went 37-for-49, and his passing yardage was the second-most in West Virginia history behind a 656-yard performance by Geno Smith in 2012. The Mountaineers finished with a whopping 694 yards in offense compared to 447 for Maryland (2-1).

West Virginia’s Kevin White had 13 catches for 216 yards and Mario Alford caught 11 passes for 131 yards and two scores.

A year ago, Maryland beat West Virginia 37-0 while Trickett watched from the sideline. In this one, the Florida State transfer riddled the Terrapins defense with precise short passes and a sprinkling of deep throws that kept Maryland guessing.

Maryland’s C.J. Brown ran for a touchdown and threw for a score. He gained 161 yards on the ground and went 19 for 35 for 241 yards through the air.

Brown left the game late in the first half after absorbing a jarring hit that popped the helmet from his head. But the sixth-year senior returned in the second half and sprinted for a 75-yard score on the first play from scrimmage to get Maryland to 28-27.

The comeback started with a 77-yard pass from Brown to Stefon Diggs, and Caleb Rowe connected with Jacquille Veii for a 26-yard score to bring the Terps to 28-20 at the half.

After Brown’s long run, West Virginia got some breathing room when a blocked punt rolled out of the end zone, and Trickett made it 37-27 with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Daikiel Shorts.

But a fumble on a punt return set up a Maryland field goal, and William Likely tied it at 37 with a 69-yard punt return with 9:43 remaining.

The game might not have been close except for West Virginia mistakes. The Mountaineers committed four turnovers — three inside the Maryland 30 — and had a field-goal try blocked.

The Mountaineers rolled up 382 yards in offensive in the first half, including 307 in the air.

West Virginia made a statement on the game’s first play, a 50-yard completion from Trickett to Wendell Smallwood. That set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Rushel Shell, the Mountaineers’ first score against Maryland in two games.

There would be more touchdowns. Many more.

After Trickett threw a 43-yard TD pass to Alford, Maryland countered with a field goal. Less than a minute later, White broke from the right side, caught a short pass and sprinted across the field for a 44-yard score.

Following another Maryland field goal, Alford made a leaping catch in the left corner of the end zone for a 36-yard TD and a 28-6 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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