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Arizona holds off UTSA 26-23

By WTOP Staff

TIM PRICE
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Nick Wilson is off to a fast start for the Arizona Wildcats.

The freshman ran for 174 yards on 30 carries, and his go-ahead touchdown changed the momentum in Arizona’s 26-23 victory over Texas-San Antonio on Thursday night.

Wilson gave Arizona a 20-16 lead with a 2-yard run with 26 seconds left in the first half.

“Every touchdown, every score, every point helps,” said Wilson, who ran for 104 yards on seven carries last week in the Wildcats’ season-opening victory over against UNLV. “We definitely had momentum going into the locker room. We made a few adjustments and a few changes and we pulled the win out.”

Cayleb Jones had an 85-yard scoring reception for Arizona on the first play from scrimmage, and redshirt freshman Anu Solomon was 17 of 32 for 231 yards after throwing for 425 yards and four touchdowns against UNLV.

UTSA coach Larry Coker, who started the school’s program in 2011 after his national-title stint at Miami, thought Arizona’s touchdown at the end of the half changed the game.

“We had momentum, and they had that last score in the first half and got it back,” Coker said. “If we had gone in ahead like we were, it could have changed the outcome. It was a very key time in the football game.”

Casey Skowron made four field goals, converting from 44 and 28 yards in the third quarter to make it 26-16.

“We settled for way too many field goals and didn’t execute down in the red zone,” Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez said. “There are so many things we need to clean up and get better at. But I didn’t see anyone lose their poise. We took their best shot.”

The Roadrunners, coming off a 20-point victory in their opener at Houston, pulled within three on David Glasco II’s 3-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.

Arizona intercepted two of Tucker Carter’s passes in the final 1 1/2 minutes to seal the game, though the final pick off was nullified by a penalty.

The Wildcats had 452 yards of offense after setting a school record with 787 yards against UNLV

It looked as if it would be another blowout shortly after the opening kickoff. On the next play, Solomon flared a conservative sideline pass at Jones close to Arizona’s 30. Jones eluded a tackle and scored on the 85-yarder 18 seconds into the game.

Jones was back in his home state after sitting out last season following his transfer from Texas. In Austin, he received a two-year probated sentence for misdemeanor assault for punching a Longhorns tennis player in 2013.

Jones caught four passes for 143 yards. He caught two passes in 10 games for Texas.

Arizona scored on the next possession as well after holding UTSA to three plays and a punt. The Wildcats got inside the 20 before Solomon was sacked by defensive tackle Ferrington Macon, which brought out Skowron for a 38-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead less than 5 minutes into the game.

UTSA responded by going 85 yards for a touchdowns, using 11 plays and 5 minutes off the clock just before the end of the first quarter. Carter, who ran twice during the drive for 28 yards, got the Roadrunners on the board with a 10-yard scoring completion to tight end David Morgan II.

Carter finished with 228 yards and a TD on 22-of-33 passing.

After giving up Skowron’s 23-yard field goal, the Roadrunners took a 14-13 lead on Kam Jones’ 18-yard run.

It went to 16-13 with 4:43 before halftime when the spread-offense deep snap was high to Solomon, who scooped up the loose ball in his own end zone and was chased out of the end zone for a safety.

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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