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Purdue’s offense rallies, but can’t top Spartans

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — One costly mistake ruined Purdue’s big chance.

On a day the team rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns against the nation’s fourth-stingiest run defense, and quarterback Austin Appleby led the Boilermakers back from two double-digit deficits, they still came up short.

Michigan State’s Connor Cook threw three touchdown passes, Nick Hill ran for two more scores and the Spartans returned a late interception for a touchdown to hold on for a 45-31 victory.

“I had a guy that was pressuring me. I just have to throw the ball away. That’s on me,” said Appleby, who was making his second college start. “I was trying to do too much. I just have to throw the ball away and live to play another down. That’s an easy fix.”

The Boilermakers’ improving offense repeatedly went toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s best defenses, rallying twice from double-digit deficits and even getting the ball back with 2:57 left and a chance to force overtime.

Appleby finished 24 of 37 for 211 yards with one touchdown and the interception. Akeem Hunt ran 12 times for 96 yards and three touchdowns including two in the fourth quarter, which cut a 21-point deficit to seven. Anny Anthrop caught a career-high nine passes for 133 yards.

It was almost good enough for Purdue (3-4, 1-1) to pull the upset.

“They showed some energy and some grit and they weren’t going to go away,” Boilermakers coach Darrell Hazell said. “That’s a step in the right direction, but we have to make sure that we finish. That’s the big thing. We have to make sure that we finish football games.”

Michigan State is learning the same lesson.

One week ago, the Spartans (5-1, 2-0) nearly blew a 24-point fourth-quarter lead at home against Nebraska before surviving 27-22. This time, the defending Rose Bowl champs saw a seemingly safe 21-point fourth-quarter lead nearly disappear because of a defensive breakdown that led to one Purdue touchdown and a failed fake punt that the Boilermakers converted into another score.

The Spartans have won four straight overall, including seven straight conference road games, and tied the school record with a sixth straight win in this series. They also have won 12 straight Big Ten wins, including last season’s conference championship game, and remain the Big Ten’s best hope of making the inaugural college football playoff.

Merely surviving won’t be good enough.

“We didn’t finish the way we wanted to,” center Connor Kruse said. “I think there were a couple of calls and a couple of mistakes that we need to work on personally, offensively and defensively and we are going to work on that this week.”

Michigan State’s offense certainly did its part.

It amassed 532 total yards, had 17 plays of 10 or more yards, scored five touchdowns and didn’t punt until there was 1:10 to go in the third quarter.

When Purdue closed to 24-17 at halftime, the Spartans responded with touchdowns on their next two drives — getting a terrific toe tap in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard TD catch by Aaron Burbridge. Hill followed that with a 4-yard TD run to make it 38-17.

“The defense obviously wasn’t good enough. We didn’t get the stops,” Purdue defensive end Ryan Russell said. “Starting out slow, spotting a good team 21 points you’re not going to win like that.”

Cook finished 19 of 37 for 238 yards with the three scores and one interception. Jeremy Langford ran 13 times for 104 yards, his third straight 100-yard game. Hill had nine carries for 72 yards and matched his career high with two scores. And Tony Lippett finished with seven receptions for 138 yards and one score.

But Michigan State’s vaunted defense struggled, especially late when it had a chance to close out the Boilermakers.

Hunt’s 52-yard scoring run with 8:49 left closed the deficit to 38-24.

The inexplicable fake punt then gave Purdue the ball at Michigan State’s 30-yard line with 7:31 left, and three plays later, Hunt powered in from 3 yards out to make it 38-31. When Purdue’s defense then forced a punt, Appleby had a chance to pull off Purdue’s biggest win in years.

But Appleby’s errant pass with 1:22 to play ended those hopes and the Spartans survived again.

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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