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Hare throws Northern Illinois past UNLV, 48-34

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Northern Illinois ran up more than 600 yards in total offense Saturday night, but the Huskies still needed to hold off a furious rally by UNLV to beat the Rebels 48-34 Saturday night. 

The victory extended Northern Illinois’ streak to 17 consecutive road wins, dating to 2012. 

The Huskies (3-0) held a 23-point lead in the third quarter before UNLV (1-2) scored three touchdowns and eventually tied the game 34-34 on a 9-yard scoring run by Shaquille Murray-Lawrence and a two-point conversion in the fourth period. 

But Northern Illinois broke the tie quickly on its next drive, getting a 54-yard touchdown pass from Drew Hare to Da’Ron Brown to regain the lead, 41-34. 

The Huskies gave themselves an additional cushion with an 80-yard scoring drive after safety Marlon Moore intercepted a pass by UNLV’s Blake Decker in the end zone.  

Hare completed 18 of 28 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns as the Huskies finished with 616 total yards. Hare also ran for 74 yards and a touchdown. 

Northern Illinois rushed for 331 yards, with Cameron Stingily leading a group of nine rushers with 102 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. 

Decker led the Rebels with 397 yards passing, completing 24 of 42 passes for two touchdowns. UNLV had 499 yards of total offense. 

The Rebels almost pulled off a comeback after scoring three times in the third quarter. A roughing-the-punter call on Northern Illinois gave UNLV new life when the Rebels were deep in their own territory, and they converted it into a 53-yard scoring pass from Decker to Devante Davis. 

Davis finished with six catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns. 

Rebels defensive end Jordan Sparkman recovered a fumble by Hare at the Northern Illiniois 10-yard line, leading to a 2-yard touchdown run by Murray-Lawrence that pulled the Rebels to within five points, 31-26. 

But the closest UNLV could get was the tie game.

Northern Illinois appeared to take control of the game in the first half, scoring three times for a 21-5 lead and totaling 271 yards in total offense. 

After UNLV scored first on a 25-yard field goal by Jonathan Leiva, Northern Illinois grabbed the lead with a 15-play, 76-yard drive that ended with Stingily scoring from five yards out with 7 minute 26 seconds left in the opening quarter.  

UNLV cut its deficit to 7-5 late in the first quarter on a safety, but the Huskies ground out two 80-yard scoring drives in the second period to pull away. 

Hare, who came off the bench the previous week to lead a 23-15 win over Northwestern, threw TD passes of 12 yards to Keith Harris and 10 yards to Juwa Brescacin.

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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