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Lakip’s kick, 4th-down stop lead Clemson to win

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Ammon Lakip bounced through the go-ahead, 40-yard field goal and Clemson stopped Louisville on fourth-and-goal from its 2 with 21 seconds remaining for a 23-17 victory Saturday.

The Tigers (4-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) held on despite losing freshman phenom quarterback Deshaun Watson to injury in the second quarter. But it took a dramatic late stop to do it after Will Gardner’s 73-yard pass to James Quick put the Cardinals (5-2, 3-2) on Clemson’s 8 with 1:08 left.

Gardner was forced to spike the ball on third down to stop the clock at the Tigers 2 on third down. After rolling right on the final play, defensive tackle DeShawn Williams batted away the pass. Clemson’s Cole Stoudt ran a final play from the 1 and Tigers fans filled the field in celebration.

Clemson got a 72-yard punt return TD from Adam Humphries and a 2-yard fumble return score by Grady Jarrett to win its third straight game — and overcome a poor offensive showing against Louisville’s No. 1 rated defense.

The Tigers finished with 229 yards, 261 yards fewer than their ACC-leading average coming in.

Gardner came in in the second half after a poor start by Reggie Bonnafon and nearly rallied the Cardinals to victory. He finished 10 of 16 for 150 yards and a 22-yard TD pass to Eli Rogers that tied things at 17-all in the third quarter.

Clemson and five-star freshman Watson had hoped to keep the momentum going from two consecutive victories over North Carolina and North Carolina State to rebound from the team’s first 1-2 start in 10 years. Humphries punt return was Clemson’s first such score since ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller did it against Boston College in 2009.

That’s when Louisville’s defense, the country’s top-ranked unit, showed its teeth. It forced a pair of three-and-outs and picked off Watson — the Cardinals’ leading 13th this season — deep in Clemson territory.

After the Tigers held Louisville to a field goal, the air came out of jam-packed Death Valley when Watson hit his right, throwing hand against an opposing helmet on a 9-yard run and came to the sidelines holding it.

Watson was soon off to the locker room and Clemson announced he would not return with a broken hand, yielding the offense to senior Cole Stoudt.

Louisville coach Bobby Petrino wrankled some Clemson fans with his comments early this week he didn’t expect Death Valley to be much louder than Syracuse’s Carrier Dome was last game — despite the fact Clemson would have more than twice the crowd.

But the noise drained from the arena after Watson’s departure.

Stoudt, the backup to record-setting Tajh Boyd the previous three seasons, had started Clemson’s first three games before Watson took over early in a 23-17 overtime loss at Florida State.

Stoudt was rattled by the Cardinals’ pass rush and struggled to move the team.

Clemson finished the half with 70 yards and squandered its best chance at an offensive touchdown when Stoudt was stopped short on the Louisville 1 and could not get the clock stopped before the half ran out.

Clemson senior defensive end Vic Beasley picked up one of three sacks against Bonnafon, giving him a school record 29 for his career and moving past former NFL standouts Michael Dean Perry and the late Gaines Adams.

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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