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No. 22 Nebraska rolls over Florida Atlantic 55-7

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah and Tommy Armstrong Jr. had career games and Nebraska had its most productive offensive day in almost a quarter century.

Maybe there is something to this “Red Storm” nickname that the Cornhuskers’ offensive players came up with. Florida Atlantic was in the path Saturday, and the Huskers rolled to a 55-7 victory.

Abdullah, the nation’s top returning rusher, ran for a career-high 232 yards and a touchdown before leaving in the middle of the third quarter. Tommy Armstrong Jr. passed for a career-high 271 yards and two TDs before sitting down late in the third.

The Cornhuskers rushed for 498 of their 784 total yards and won their 29th straight opener, the longest streak in the nation. Nebraska’s offensive total was the fifth highest in program history and most since the Huskers gained 787 against Utah State in 1991.

“I know what this offense has the potential to do, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves now,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “Our captains said we didn’t come into this season to beat Florida Atlantic. So we won a game we should have won. I do like the fashion we won it.”

Abdullah had 178 yards by halftime while becoming the eighth Nebraska player to go over 3,000 yards rushing in a career. Terrell Newby added 107 yards rushing.

Florida Atlantic, with first-year coach Charlie Partridge, was paid $1 million to visit Lincoln and will get another $1 million for playing at No. 2 Alabama next week. The Owls of Conference USA went 75 yards on their first series to tie it at 7, but they gained just 51 more before Nebraska’s defense began freely substituting after the third quarter.

“There were times we looked like we’d have a powerful offense. At times it looked like we needed to get better at some things,” Partridge said.

About the only negative for Nebraska was the loss of star defensive end Randy Gregory, who went out with a left leg injury in the first quarter and was in street clothes for the second half. Pelini said he didn’t know the nature of the injury.

Abdullah’s best run came in the second quarter when he broke through the line and sidestepped cornerback Cre’von LeBlanc on his way to a 47-yard touchdown. It was among his nine runs of 10 yards or longer.

Abdullah left the stadium without speaking to the media. Armstrong said Abdullah ran the same way he had been in practice.

“He went out there to prove something,” Armstrong said.

Asked what Abdullah had to prove after running for almost 1,700 yards last season, Armstrong said, “That he’s the best back in the nation. I think (some analysts) have him the No. 2 or 3 back in the Big Ten. I think he’s taken that to heart and proven to everyone why he should be one of the contenders for the No. 1 spot.”

Jay Warren led the Owls with 77 yards rushing, and Jaquez Johnson and Greg Hankerson combined to go 11 of 30 for 95 yards.

Jordan Westerkamp had seven catches for 125 yards and Kenny Bell four for 116 for the Huskers. Westerkamp made the catch of the game when he put his hands behind his back to snag a tipped pass along the sideline. The 16-yard play on a third-and-6 kept alive a drive that put the Huskers up 38-7.

“I ran a corner route and saw the ball get tipped,” Westerkamp said. “I put my hands back and the ball landed perfectly. It was a crazy play.”

Crazy, indeed.

“I’ve coached a lot of football, and I’ve never seen that one,” Pelini said. “Even to have the wherewithal to throw your hands back there. I always say he catches anything that’s near him. He showed that right there.”

Armstrong, who completed 15 of 29 passes, finished with 333 yards of total offense and was relieved by Ryker Fyfe late in the third quarter.

The game originally was billed as the Pelini Bowl because it was to have matched Nebraska coach Bo Pelini against his brother, former FAU coach Carl Pelini. But Carl Pelini was forced out with four games left last season amid allegations of drug use, which Carl denied. Offensive coordinator Brian Wright led the Owls to four straight wins and a 6-6 finish as interim coach.

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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