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Wildcats outlast Wolfpack 35-28

By WTOP Staff

JOHN MARSHALL
AP College Football Writer

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Anu Solomon threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, Nick Wilson ran for 171 yards and Arizona held off Nevada 35-28 Saturday night.

Arizona (3-0) came into the game with the nation’s fifth-best offense and had another big night against the Wolfpack, rolling up 507 yards.

Wilson ran for a pair of touchdowns and gave Arizona a 100-yard rusher for the 20th straight game, tied for longest in the FBS since 1996. Solomon finished 22-of-26 passing and threw two second-half touchdown passes to Cayleb Jones, who had nine catches for 116 yards.

Cody Fajardo kept Nevada (2-1) in it, throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but the Wolfpack turned the ball over on downs their last drive.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said after the 2012 New Mexico Bowl that he hoped to never face Fajardo again. The Wolfpack quarterback lit up the Wildcats in that game, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 140 and another score.

Fajardo, on the other hand, was looking forward to facing Arizona again. Despite having what may have been the best game of his career in the bowl game, Nevada lost the game 49-48 after the Wildcats scored two touchdowns in the final minute.

Fajardo had some success against Arizona early as the Wolfpack picked their way down the field.

Nevada held the ball for the game’s opening 9:33 and had another scoring drive that lasted 6:08.

The problem for the Wolfpack was how both ended: in field goals.

Thirty-two plays, 141 yards and more than 15 minutes resulting in just six points — a dangerous game against an explosive offense like Arizona’s.

The Wildcats needed just 1:50 to score their first touchdown, a 2-yard run by Wilson. The freshman scored the next one, too, bursting off left tackle for a 28-yard score.

Solomon, who threw an ill-advised interception early in the second quarter, showed off his athletic ability just before halftime, rolling to the left and throwing off his back foot to hit Tyrell Johnson perfectly in stride for a 35-yard touchdown.

Fajardo finally got the Wolfpack into the endzone after that, orchestrating a quick 75-yard drive capped by his 7-yard touchdown pass to Jarred Gipson that cut Arizona’s halftime lead to 21-13.

The confidence of seeing six points go up on the board instead of three carried over into the third quarter, when Fajardo opened with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Hasaan Henderson.

Arizona had an answer. Two, in fact.

Solomon threw another touchdown on the run, this one going the other way, this one a 22-yarder to Jones. The Solomon-Jones connection worked again on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 24-yarder that put the Wildcats up 35-21.

Nevada and Fajardo still weren’t done.

He found Jarred Gipson on a 6-yard touchdown pass that cut Arizona’s lead to 35-28 and the Wolfpack got the ball back at their own 17-yard line with 3:04 left.

Fajardo took Nevada to near midfield, but his fourth-down attempt was just out of Jericho Richardson’s reach.

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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