Skip to main content

Boone, Snead lead Duke past No. 22 Ga Tech 31-25

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Strike another long losing streak off Duke’s record.

Anthony Boone threw for 123 yards and a touchdown, Josh Sneed rushed for 102 yards and a score, and the Blue Devils snapped a 10-year skid against Georgia Tech by knocking off the No. 22 Yellow Jackets 31-25 Saturday.

Backup quarterback Thomas Sirk had a couple of short TD runs for the Blue Devils (5-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won in Atlanta for the first time since 1994 and showed they aren’t going to give up their Coastal Division title without a fight.

“We haven’t won here in so many years,” Duke’s Deondre Singleton said. “We kept a chip on our shoulders.”

Duke defeated its biggest rival, North Carolina, the past two years after dropping 21 of the previous 22 meetings.

Now, the Blue Devils have taken care of a different thorn in their side.

“It felt good, no question,” coach David Cutcliffe said. “We haven’t been successful at all (against Georgia Tech) for the most part.”

With a week off to get ready for the triple-option offense, Duke capitalized on three huge second-half turnovers by the Yellow Jackets (5-1, 2-1).

Justin Thomas threw a pair of interceptions — one deep in Duke territory — and Zach Laskey fumbled. The sloppy performance was totally unexpected from a team that was leading the ACC with a plus-5 turnover margin.

“Three turnovers is atrocious,” Laskey said.

With Duke up 14-12, the second-half kickoff was delayed 1 hour, 17 minutes by thunderstorms moving through downtown Atlanta.

When play finally resumed, the Blue Devils were clearly the better-prepared team.

“I’m really proud of our team and staff over the open date,” Cutcliffe said. “I thought we utilized our time well.”

Laskey fumbled on the opening possession after halftime, with Duke’s Jeremy Cash falling on it at the Georgia Tech 46. The Blue Devils needed nine plays to reach the end zone, converting a pair of third downs before Snead took it in with a 4-yard run.

Jamal Golden returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards, but the Yellow Jackets managed only one first down before the drive stalled. Harrison Butker was wide right on a 52-yard field goal attempt.

Duke drove down the field again before settling for Ross Martin’s 34-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 24-12.

That’s when the Blue Devils defense came up with the biggest play of the game. With Georgia Tech at the Duke 10 after DeAndre Smelter went 21 yards on a reverse, Thomas let go of a terrible pass — straight to Duke freshman linebacker Zavier Carmichael.

Thomas had another pick on a desperation sling along the sideline that went right to Cash, setting up Sirk’s 1-yard plunge that made it 31-12 with 8:18 remaining.

Thomas, who had been one of Georgia Tech’s offensive stars this season, did not take another snap. Tim Byerly finished up at quarterback and had a couple of touchdown runs that merely made things interesting at the end.

Duke recovered a pair of onside kicks to preserve the victory, which will likely make Georgia Tech’s first appearance in the national rankings since 2011 a short one.

“Those guys just wanted it more than us,” Georgia Tech linebacker Quayshawn Neely said. “They knew what was at stake. We knew what was at stake. I give credit where credit is due.”

Coach Paul Johnson said Thomas injured an ankle late in the first half, but tried to play through it.

He wound up with his worst performance of the season despite rushing for 119 yards.

“I could tell it was bothering him,” Johnson said.

It was a grim day all around for the Yellow Jackets, one of just 10 unbeaten FBS teams coming into the day. They simply made too many huge mistakes to beat an efficient, turnover-free Duke team.

After forcing the Blue Devils to punt on their second possession of the game, Georgia Tech was called for two penalties on the return and Duke kept the ball.

Then, safety Corey Griffin was ejected from the game for targeting Shaun Wilson on a 29-yard completion, delivering a helmet-to-helmet hit against the defenseless player. Boone capped off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Max McCaffrey.

Duke’s next touchdown came after a much-longer reception by McCaffrey, this one after he somehow got behind the Georgia Tech defense on third-and-26. The 30-yard play set up Sirk’s first touchdown from 3 yards.

Georgia Tech settled for a pair of short field goals by Butker before reaching the end zone with 40 seconds left in the half on Laskey’s 4-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving Duke with a halftime lead it would not relinquish.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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

Step-by-step guide: How to make the perfect Thanksgiving pie

Astros drill Darvish, Dodgers to win first World Series