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Miami can’t stop run in 41-31 loss to No. 24 Neb

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Miami’s defense was one of the best at stopping the run through three games. But the Hurricanes hadn’t faced a running back nearly the caliber of Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah.

Abdullah ran 35 times for 229 yards to lead a punishing ground game that helped send the Hurricanes to a 41-31 loss to the No. 24 Cornhuskers on Saturday night.

“He’s every bit of what he was on film,” linebacker Thurston Armbrister said. “We knew he was a good back, and we knew what we needed to do to stop him. We just didn’t execute.”

Miami (2-2) allowed 343 yards on the ground after giving up a total of 268 in the first three games.

That was way too much on a night when Miami freshman Brad Kaaya threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice, with one of the picks leading to a Nebraska touchdown. Duke Johnson ran 18 times for 93 yards.

The game was marred by two scuffles in the second half, and the Hurricanes drew five personal fouls, with the last one coming when offensive lineman Ereck Flowers made an obscene gesture toward fans in the north end zone.

“I like the fact that it meant a lot to our guys,” Miami coach Al Golden said. “We don’t want to lose our poise like that.”

A Memorial Stadium record crowd of 91,585 came to see a meeting of programs that combined for eight national titles from 1983 to 2001.

Miami got within three points in the third quarter on Kaaya’s 9-yard pass to Malcolm Lewis, but the personal fouls helped the Huskers pull away. Only the coaches and team captains shook hands after the game. Fans booed as Miami left the field.

“The game of football is about passion, and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Abdullah said. “Good thing we were the bigger men.”

The Hurricanes have lost five straight and 11 of their last 12 on the road against ranked opponents since 2006.

“There was a lot of jawing,” Miami offensive lineman Taylor Gadbois said. “They wanted it. We wanted it. It was really physical. It was two teams putting all on the line to win.”

After Tommy Armstrong was intercepted in the third quarter, giving Miami a chance to tie or take the lead, cornerback Josh Mitchell ran back Johnson’s fumble 57 yards for a touchdown to put Nebraska up 31-21.

Tempers flared after a roughing-the-passer penalty nullified Nate Geary’s interception of Kaaya on Miami’s next series. Players from both sides squared off, drawing offsetting personal fouls.

Another scrum broke out after Josh Kalu intercepted Kaaya in the fourth quarter.

“I thought our guys handled themselves well,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “We didn’t have guys leave the sidelines. We only had guys pulling guys off. I give their staff credit. It could have gotten out of control.”

Abdullah had six runs of 10 yards or longer and Armstrong had four.

“We just stressed physicality all week,” Abdullah said. “We knew if we come out physical every play and hit them in the mouth, we’re going to wear them out. First quarter you could tell we could move the ball on these guys.”

Miami and Nebraska played for the first time since the Hurricanes’ clinched their fifth, and most recent, national title in the 2002 Rose Bowl. Before Saturday, their last five meetings had come in bowl games, and four of those times the winner was crowned national champion.

Even though the programs are now shells of their former selves, the history they share made this the Huskers’ most anticipated non-conference home game since top-ranked Southern California visited in 2007. Suspended New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was on hand to cheer his hometown Hurricanes, and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts came as a guest of Justice Clarence Thomas, who became an ardent Huskers fan after he married a Nebraskan.

Players from the ’94 Nebraska team that beat Miami 24-17 in the Orange Bowl showed up in big numbers along with their coach, Tom Osborne, and members of his staff. The old players and coaches formed a gauntlet for the Huskers to run through as they came out of the tunnel before kickoff.

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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