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Washington overwhelms mistake-prone Cal, 31-7

By WTOP Staff

ANTONIO GONZALEZ
AP Sports Writer

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Cyler Miles threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns, Shaq Thompson returned a fumble 100 yards for a score and Washington overwhelmed California 31-7 on Saturday.

The Huskies (5-1, 1-1 Pac-12) forced five fumbles, recovering three of them, and sacked Jared Goff four times to quiet the country’s second-highest scoring offense. Washington went ahead 28-0 at the half to bury the Golden Bears (4-2, 2-2) in a hole they could never dig out of.

Miles tossed TDs of 86, 25 and 11 yards. He completed 22 of 29 passes, and the Huskies ran for 111 yards behind Lavon Coleman and Dwayne Washington to spoil Cal’s homecoming.

Goff, who had three fumbles, threw for 304 yards. He finished 35-for-51 passing but was limited to mostly short and intermediate throws because of Washington’s pressure.

The Huskies totaled 384 yards, while Cal had 368 yards.

The Bears entered the game leading the Pac-12 in scoring and ranked second in the country with an average of 50 points per game. They had scored at least 50 points in their last two games and three times this season, including a wild 60-59 win at Washington State last week.

Cal had started 4-1 for the first time since 2008 and seemed to be turning things around quicker than expected under second-year coach Sonny Dykes after going 1-11 last season. Instead, the Bears showed their rebuilding project still has a long way to go.

Miles moved Washington’s offense with relative ease, at times, taking advantaging of a Cal team missing three starters — defensive end Brennan Scarlett (knee) and safeties Stefan McClure (calf) and Michael Lowe (head) — because of injuries and often looking helpless even when it was healthy.

The Huskies, who had a bye last week after losing at home to Stanford, started out slow but capitalized on a big gaff by Goff to tilt the momentum for good.

Goff lost the ball on a quarterback sneak near the goal line, Thompson grabbed the fumble and sprinted the length of the field to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead. It was fourth touchdown this season for Thompson, who originally committed to Cal, and his third fumble taken back for a score.

On the next possession, Goff and Daniel Lasco fumbled the exchange, Washington recovered at the Cal 25 and Miles tossed a TD pass to Joshua Perkins a play later.

Miles also connected with DiAndre Campbell on an 11-yard touchdown, and John Ross raced 86 yards for a TD after catching a short pass from Miles to give Washington a 28-0 lead. Ross finished with four catches for 118 yards.

After blocking a field goal by the Huskies early in the third quarter, Lasco’s 3-yard run capped an 18-play, 80-yard drive for Cal’s lone score.

The Bears stopped Washington, but two fumbles on one play put the ball back in the Huskies’ hands at the Cal 16. Cameron Van Winkle kicked a 42-yard field goal to give Washington a 31-7 lead.

About the only bummer on the day for the Huskies came in the final minutes with the outcome already decided.

Perkins was ejected for targeting a defenseless player to wipe away another dazzling run by Ross after a reception. He could be suspended for the first half against Oregon next week if the call is upheld by the conference.

___

Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

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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