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Pac-12 season starts with wild first month

By WTOP Staff

JOHN MARSHALL
AP College Football Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — The first full week of conference games begins in the Pac-12 this weekend.

It’s been a wild ride to get here.

So far, the Pac-12 has seen an epic comeback capped by a Hail Mary, a nearly monumental upset in the Pacific Northwest, a forgotten quarterback coming to the rescue and a potentially serious injury to another quarterback — and it’s not even October yet.

As a reminder, here’s a rundown of the crazy things that happened the first month of the season in the Pac-12:

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THE HILL MARY

Arizona’s comeback victory over California could end up being the game of the season in college football, not just the Pac-12.

The Bears scored two touchdowns in the opening 3:07 and carried an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon, came back with a vengence.

Arizona scored a school-record 36 points in the final quarter, including 19 in the final 3:30. The Wildcats recovered an onside kick on a second try after Cal was penalized for batting the ball out of bounds on the first one, and got a final chance when the Bears missed a field goal.

With 52 seconds left, the Wildcats took over at their own 29 and barely spiked the ball and stopped the clock to set up a final play.

It tuned into one of the greatest in Arizona football history: a 47-yard Hail Mary by Solomon into the arms of Austin Hill in the end zone.

Arizona 49, California 45.

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NEUHEISEL’S TURN

When quarterback Brett Hundley suffered an injury to his left arm, UCLA appeared to be in trouble against Texas.

Not quite. Not with Jerry Neuheisel still on the roster.

Neuheisel committed to UCLA when his father, Rick, was still coach. Neuheisel could have left after his father was fired in 2011, particularly because he was behind Hundley on the depth chart, yet decided to stick it out.

His decision paid off Sept. 13, when Hundley was hurt and Neuheisel got his shot. He led the Bruins to a tight victory over the Longhorns and was carried off the field by his teammates, who chanted his name.

Adding to the moment was the reaction of his father, now an analyst with the Pac-12 Networks, after watching Jerry throw his first college touchdown pass: http://goo.gl/s1EUkg

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NEAR-UPSET IN PALOUSE

Almost no one expected Washington State to have a chance in its game against No. 2 Oregon last Saturday.

The Ducks were 23 1/2-point favorites, had won seven straight in the series and the Cougars had already lost to Rutgers and Nevada.

Washington State didn’t care about any of that, giving the Ducks a fight instead of an expected rollover.

Behind quarterback Connor Halliday and a bruising defense, the Cougars kept up with Oregon almost the entire way.

Halliday threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns, and Washington State’s defense took advantage of Oregon’s injury-riddled offensive line, sacking quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Marcus Mariota five times.

Trailing 38-31, the Cougars had the ball at Oregon’s 38 in the fourth quarter, but turned the ball over on downs when Halliday was sacked.

The monumental upset was averted, but it was fun to watch.

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KELLY’S INJURY

Quarterback Taylor Kelly had been a mainstay for Arizona State, playing every game since 2012 while leading the Sun Devils to a pair of bowl games.

Arizona State’s prospects for the rest of this season took a hit on Sept. 13, when Kelly injured his right foot against Colorado. The senior was still on crutches and wearing a walking boot this week, so he’s out for at least Thursday night’s game against UCLA.

Junior Mike Bercovici gets the start against the Bruins and possibly beyond — the Sun Devils haven’t said whether Kelly could be back by the next game or not.

Kelly has been the perfect fit to Arizona State’s up-tempo, zone-read offense, a smart runner-passer who knows the Sun Devil’s offensive system nearly as well as his coaches.

Bercovici could come in and play well, but there is a bit of uncertainty about the Sun Devils with Kelly out.

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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