Skip to main content

Syracuse gains momentum, can’t top Florida State

By WTOP Staff

JOHN KEKIS
AP Sports Writer

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — With two rookie quarterbacks learning on the fly, Syracuse played top-ranked Florida State even in the second half. If only the Orange could have that first half back.

Despite more controversy surrounding quarterback Jameis Winston, he responded with a nearly flawless performance, throwing for 317 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Seminoles past Syracuse 38-20 on Saturday.

Quarterbacks Austin Wilson and freshman A.J. Long took turns in place of injured starter Terrel Hunt and Syracuse was bitten again by its inability in the red zone, scoring just one touchdown on four trips inside the Florida State 20-yard line. That boosts the Orange’s futility to 10 TDs in 23 tries.

“I was happy with the way they played,” offensive coordinator Tim Lester said. “They played like I thought they would. You never know how it’s going to play out. I’d still love to have those first-half, red-zone opportunities back. Looking back now, that’s all I think about.”

Long was 16 of 27 for 167 yards and two touchdowns to freshman wideout Steve Ishmael, 22 yards in the third quarter and 35 in the fourth.

Long also made a rookie mistake, throwing an interception deep in Florida State territory late in the third. The pick by Nate Andrews at the FSU 8 came after Wilson mishandled a punt and Sam Rodgers recovered for Syracuse at the Florida State 21.

Wilson was 5 of 9 for 89 yards before leaving the game after a tough hit to his head.

The Orange were up against it from the start, playing with a quarterback making his first college start in Wilson, another who had never played a down in college, and a new offensive coordinator. Lester replaced George McDonald early in the week.

Still, Syracuse never quit.

“Coach (Scott) Shafer preached that we had nothing to lose and we should just have fun,” Ishmael said. “That’s what we did. We had a clear chance of beating this team.”

Winston, who scooted out of trouble when necessary to extend plays, finished 30 of 36 and earned his fifth 300-yard passing game on the road.

“It’s not about distractions,” Winston said. “It’s about Florida State football.”

Mario Pender scored twice, on a 12-yard run to open the scoring in the first quarter and a 4-yard reception in the second as the Seminoles built a 24-6 halftime lead.

Tight end Nick O’Leary had a career-high eight catches for 97 yards and one touchdown, while Rashad Greene returned from a concussion and caught six passes for 107 yards, becoming the school’s all-time receptions leader.

Greene passed Ron Sellers (1966-68) for most career receptions at Florida State. Greene’s fourth reception was a 9-yarder that set up Winston’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Jesus “Bobo” Wilson midway through the third quarter. It was his record-setting 213th catch.

“When you have multiple guys making multiple catches, that’s doing what we got to do,” Winston said. “People can’t game-plan us for one person.”

Florida State (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won a school-record 22 straight games, the longest streak in the nation, and 19 in a row in the conference.

The Orange (2-4, 0-2 ACC) lost their fourth straight, producing 412 yards offensively but throwing three interceptions.

“To beat the No. 1 team in the country is a very difficult task,” Shafer said. “I really believed that we could beat this team and we didn’t get that done. I saw some good things that were encouraging.”

The game came a day after Florida State University decided to publicly detail its own timeline of events since Winston was accused of sexual assault in December 2012. The woman making the accusation could still sue. Winston wasn’t charged in the case.

The school also is investigating Winston for a possible code of conduct violation involving the alleged sexual assault, and the Department of Education is investigating the university on how it handles reports of sexual assault as a result of the case.

The Heisman Trophy winner hasn’t let it affect his game halfway through his second college season. He’s 19-0 now as the starter.

“This was status quo for what we’ve been doing and we knew this was coming,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said. “Our guys eliminate those things, control what they can control, and that’s playing ball.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Where to take the family while they visit DC

Government shuts down after last-minute talks and Senate vote fail

How the Tax Cut Affects Investors