Skip to main content

No. 13 South Carolina falls to Missouri

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Even the Head Ball Coach makes mistakes.

Steve Spurrier was caught up in watching South Carolina’s defense play a breakout game for nearly 53 minutes, holding powerful Missouri to 181 yards and 11 first downs while helping the 13th-ranked Gamecocks build a 20-7 lead.

That’s why, Spurrier said, he didn’t even consider going for two after South Carolina’s final touchdown — a decision that proved costly when the Tigers rallied for a 21-20 victory on Saturday night.

“That was a mistake on my part,” Spurrier said. “But it was a tough night for us.”

Especially after Maty Mauk, ineffective much of the game, led Missouri to two touchdown drives in the last seven minutes. Russell Hansbrough scored on two 1-yard runs, the last on fourth down with 1:36 to go.

South Carolina (3-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) had a final chance, but Dylan Thompson threw four incompletions and Missouri ran out the clock.

It wasn’t until later that Spurrier realized his strategic error. Still, he expected the Gamecocks’ strong play on defense to continue.

“Gosh, we were stopping them so well,” he said.

At least until Missouri’s rally at the end.

“These are games,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said, “that change a football team.”

Thompson threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Pharoh Cooper for South Carolina’s final TD with 7:25 left in the game. But Missouri came right back.

Mauk had a pair of big throws –41 yards to Bud Sasser and 26 yards to Wesley Leftwich — to the South Carolina 1. Hansbrough then scored just 36 seconds after South Carolina’s TD.

Mauk said that perked up Missouri and gave it confidence. Once the defense got the ball back from South Carolina, Mauk was pointing toward completing the comeback.

“We sat down as a group and said we have to finish. That’s what we do around Missouri. Everybody bought in and brought everything they had for that drive,” he said. “The offensive line gave great protection and when they needed to power through to get Russell in the end zone they responded.”

When the Tigers reached the South Carolina 2, Missouri was stopped short on its first three tries for the pivotal score. Pinkel said the coaches decided to just run right at them, Hansbrough bursting through with 1:36 left.

Along with Hansbrough’s three TDs, Marcus Murphy ran for 98 yards. Mauk completed 12 of 34 passes for 132 yards, but made his biggest throws at the most crucial times.

It looked as if the defense would win this one for the Gamecocks, holding Missouri to two first downs in the first 23 minutes of the second half and continually harassing Mauk into poor throws.

Missouri (4-1, 1-0) wrenched control of the division from South Carolina, which was the preseason pick to take the East and had taken down Georgia on this field two weeks earlier.

Instead, Missouri earned its seventh consecutive road win — two shy of the school mark.

Defensive end Shane Ray, the SEC sacks leader coming in, got two more against Thompson as the Gamecocks could not move the ball. They trailed 7-3 until Mike Davis’ 17-yard TD run with 1:36 left in the half.

South Carolina’s defense, one of the best in the league in the past years led by NFL No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney, came in next to last in the SEC with 36 points allowed per game this season.

But its pass defense — also next to last in the SEC — limited Mauk to 57 yards the first 30 minutes. Mauk, the SEC leader with 14 touchdown throws, ended the half 6 of 19 and missed on his last eight throws.

It was Spurrier’s insistence on getting his attack started that led to Missouri’s first TD. The Gamecocks went for a fourth-and-1 on their 42 on their first series, but came up short. Four plays later, Hansbrough ran for an 18-yard score.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote