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Defense shines as No. 7 UCLA beats Virginia 28-20

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Brett Hundley was all smiles, mostly because of his defense.

Seventh-ranked UCLA scored three defensive touchdowns in the second quarter Saturday and Hundley led them on a critical second-half scoring drive as the Bruins escaped Virginia 28-20 in the opener for both teams.

“Sometimes a game like this might be good to get our team understanding that every game we have to come with it,” the quarterback said. “We have to understand what we train for and we have to do it. … We have a lot of stuff to work on.”

Hundley, widely regarded as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, was harassed all day by Virginia’s pressure defense, which sacked him five times, and made the biggest play of the day for UCLA with his feet. It came on a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter when safety Quin Blanding met him around the 3 yard-line, and Hundley overpowered him.

“Great players made plays when they need to be made,” Bruins coach Jim Mora Jr. said.

That he only had to make one was thanks to the defense, which registered three scores for the first time since 1986.

“When you stop the run like we did and put the ball in the end zone three times, that’s a pretty special day,” Mora said.

The Cavaliers had a first down at the Bruins’ 19 late in the game, but three running plays netted just two yards, and linebacker Myles Jack disrupted Matt Johns’ fourth-and-8 pass to Doni Dowling.

The third-down run was Johns’ fault, he said.

“I read the wrong line of my wristband,” he said.

That Johns was even in the game was a surprise, but he came on to replace Greyson Lambert late in the first half, after the Bruins’ third defensive touchdown gave them a 21-3 lead. Johns then led a touchdown drive and played the entire second half, creating questions about what had seemed to be a settled quarterback situation for Virginia.

Throughout the preseason, the development of Lambert as a player and a leader was touted by players and coaches as a great reason to be optimistic about the season. Then Johns outplayed him.

“Most of all, it’s about players that can perform, and he rose to the occasion given his opportunity,” Virginia coach Mike London said of Johns, a redshirt sophomore. “Like any other position, you have to perform.”

The Bruins have no such problem behind center, and when he needed to, Hundley showed why.

UCLA led just 21-17 and had not scored an offensive touchdown when it took over at its 34 late in the third quarter.

Hundley completed passes of 15 yards to Eldridge Massington and 25 yards to Thomas Duarte on the 66-yard march, and capped it with the run up the middle, bulling over safety Blanding for the TD.

That made it 28-17, and all the momentum brought by Johns’ play dissipated.

Johns put together his second touchdown march on Virginia’s second drive of the second half. He kept it alive by hitting Dowling for 11 yards on a third-and-6, saw Kevin Parks run for 13 on a fourth-and-2 to the Bruins’ 13, then hit Darius Jennings for 23 yards and the touchdown to make it 21-17.

The drive brought life back into the crowd of 44,479, the smallest for a Virginia opener since 1998, but after the teams exchanged possessions, Hundley put together the drive that proved the difference.

Lambert and the Cavaliers’ defense were heralded as reasons for optimism, and while the defense was solid all day, Lambert didn’t even make it to halftime. He had one passed tipped at the line and intercepted by Ishmael Adams, who returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, and another one that Eric Kendricks picked off and took 37 yards for a score. In between, Lambert hit Kyle Dockins for what appeared to be a third-down conversion in Bruins territory, but Dockins fumbled into the hands of Randall Goforth, who returned it 75 yards for a TD.

When Johns came on for the next series, he found Canaan Severin for 32 yards and Andre Levrone for 29 yards and the touchdown to make it 21-10.

___

Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr

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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