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Huskers unbeaten but humbled heading to Fresno St.

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska players are starting the week concerned about themselves more than they are about Fresno State. They say some self-reflection is in order after Saturday’s close call against McNeese State.

“It was a humbling game for us,” offensive tackle Alex Lewis said. “We have tougher competition coming up. We play like that down the road, I don’t know if we come away with a ‘W.’ “

The Cowboys of the second-tier Football Championship Subdivision erased a 10-point deficit and were tied with Nebraska (2-0) in the final minute. The Cornhuskers won 31-24 on Ameer Abdullah’s tackle-busting catch-and-run for a 58-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left.

“It’s a wakeup call that we have a lot to work on,” guard Mike Moudy said. “The sky’s not falling. Nothing’s changed. We’re going to look at this film critically, and guys are going to be critical of themselves and have to look in the mirror and decide if they gave their all or didn’t.”

The Huskers, picked to contend for the Big Ten West title, struggled against an undersized but scrappy McNeese State front seven that blitzed often and was constantly moving before the snap. Nebraska had only two first downs after halftime, going three plays and out on four series and punting after four plays on another.

Take away a 34-yard run by quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. and the 58-yard touchdown by Abdullah, and the Huskers generated only 48 yards in the second half. A penalty nullified a short touchdown run by Armstrong and forced a field goal, and another flag brought back a long pass to Jordan Westerkamp inside the McNeese State 20 and led to a punt.

“A lot of guys went into the cave and shut down,” Moudy said. “You’ve got to understand it’s resilience under negative circumstances that we really, really have to work on. Something goes negative and you have people yelling at you, and you’ve got to take that play and remove it.

“That’s one thing I’ve learned in five years here that you can’t let a bad play carry over into the next one. We have a lot of young guys who need to work on their maturity.”

The Huskers allowed 178 rushing yards, including 74 on 10 carries by quarterback Daniel Sams. They also were bitten by short passes to running backs that turned into long gainers. Defensive coordinator John Papuchis said busted coverages and miscommunication let McNeese State keep moving the ball.

“You can learn from these things and come back and be humbled and work harder or you can be rattled by it,” Papuchis said. “It’s our job to make sure they’re not rattled by it.”

Abdullah and cornerback Josh Mitchell, both captains, said they sensed complacency setting in at practice last week after the Huskers rolled up 784 yards in a 48-point win over Florida Atlantic.

“Football is a game that I love, a game I have a lot of respect for, but the respect as a whole across the board for this team needs to go up, as does preparation, as does respect of the opponent,” Abdullah said.

The Huskers head west this week to play a Fresno State team that has given up 52 and 59 points in losses to Southern California and Utah.

Coach Bo Pelini said defensive end Randy Gregory (left knee) should play after missing the McNeese State game. The receivers are hurting, though. Kenny Bell pulled a groin in the first quarter and is day-to-day, and Jamal Turner tore his Achilles’ tendon in the second quarter and is out. Sam Burtch and Brandon Reilly already were out because of injuries.

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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