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TCU routs SMU 56-0

By WTOP Staff

DALLAS (AP) — The longtime Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry known as the “Battle for the Iron Skillet” was apparently enough to prevent TCU from looking past beleaguered SMU on Saturday toward Big 12 play next week.

“They know what’s coming,” Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson said of his players, who will turn from Saturday’s 56-0 rout of the Mustangs to a home date next Saturday with No. 4 Oklahoma — followed by a visit to No. 7 Baylor. “We did what we needed to do.”

TCU (3-0) tuned up for the Sooners and Bears by running up 614 total yards with its new, up-tempo offense and holding SMU (0-4) without a touchdown for the third time this season. Trevone Boykin passed for four touchdowns and ran for two others.

“Coach says get ready for the games you’re supposed to win and the big games will take care of themselves,” Boykin said. “We will probably be up on the little things because we have a better opponent coming to town next week. No disrespect to SMU.”

The victory was the most lopsided in the series’ 94-game history dating to 1915. SMU has scored only one touchdown this season — a 33-yard hail Mary pass on the final play at North Texas on Sept. 6 — and two field goals. Last in the FBS in both scoring offense and scoring defense, the Mustang have been outscored 202-12.

“We can’t keep going like this,” said SMU interim head coach Tom Mason, who took over when June Jones resigned following the North Texas loss. “That’s my job tomorrow. We just have to believe in ourselves.”

The Mustangs have been shut out twice. They drove to TCU’s 3-yard line in the waning seconds, but reserve quarterback Matt Davis was sacked on the final play.

SMU appeared to score late in the half on a 36-yard reception by Daruis Joseph during which Joseph fell backward onto TCU cornerback Ranthony Texada at the Horned Frogs’ 30, rolled off and ran into the end zone. A review of the play revealed Joseph’s left elbow touched the turf after he rolled off Texada.

Boykin threw scoring passes of 28 and 7 yards to Deante Gray, 6 yards to Josh Doctson and 10 yards to Desmon White, and ran for touchdowns of 27 and 8 yards. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 280 yards and ran 67 yards, and left after three quarters.

B.J. Catalon added a 9-yard touchdown run, and backup quarterback Matt Joeckel threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Reid.

Gray set personal records with six catches and 96 yards, both which led the Horned Frogs, and Catalon ran for a career-high 114 yards.

TCU went into the game ranked second in the FBS in total defense, allowing 205.5 yards. SMU gained 245 yards.

SMU quarterback Garrett Krstich made his first career start, the team’s third starter at the position this season. Fourth-string when the season began, Krstich was 14 for 30 for 142 yards, one interception and was sacked seven times.

Bright moments for SMU were few. Punter Jackson Koonce looked up at unblocked Travin Howard of TCU, pulled the ball in and ran 7 yards for a first down. The Mustangs stopped TCU on fourth-and-goal at their own 2 and blocked a 26-yard field goal attempt by Jaden Oberkrom.

“We’re going to keep working,” Krstich said. “We still have eight games, and I have full confidence we can make it to a bowl game.”

The Mustangs will open American Athletic Conference play next Saturday at East Carolina.

TCU has won 13 of the last 15 meetings to build a 47-40-7 series lead.

“We had all the motivation we needed,” TCU defensive end James McFarland said. “It’s the Iron Skillet.”

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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