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Gore powers 49ers past Eagles to avoid 3-game skid

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Frank Gore has assured his coaches and teammates he’ll do anything, as much as needed or as little.

He will help groom rookie Carlos Hyde, he will block and sit more plays out even though he’d rather take part in every snap.

Gore produced his biggest day so far this season to get the San Francisco 49ers back on track, catching a career-best 55-yard touchdown pass and running for his first 100-yard game in a 26-21 comeback win against the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Gore came in with just 35 carries and 139 yards through the first three games, including only six rushes for 10 yards in last Sunday’s loss at Arizona. He finished with 119 on Sunday.

But the highlight was the catch, on which Kaepernick threw off-balance, across his body and across the field.

Even coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t see that coming as his 49ers (2-2) avoided their first three-game skid in his four seasons and handed the Eagles (3-1) their first defeat.

“Kap did a great job keeping his eyes up field. I had no idea. When he stopped, pulled it up and started to throw, I didn’t know where he was going with the ball,” Harbaugh said. “The speed, the angle, the way he got into the end zone was something. I didn’t think he was going to get it in.”

Not that Kaepernick was planning it that way.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had one quite like that,” Kaepernick said. “It was a great job by Frank.”

“Great job by Kap,” Gore offered, standing next to his quarterback on the postgame podium.

Here are some more things to know from the 49ers’ first victory at new Levi’s Stadium:

49ERS D: Vic Fangio’s group has regained its swagger — and it didn’t hurt that the defensive coordinator found a timely way to prepare his unit. During Friday’s practice, Fangio ran an up-tempo session in which players had to adjust on the fly and deal with plays coming in late to resemble what the Eagles might present.

It sure seems to have worked perfectly. The Eagles didn’t get past midfield until late and went without an offensive touchdown.

“It was very loud. He was calling in calls real late so the players would have to kind of scramble to get the plays and communicate,” safety Antoine Bethea said. “Made it real easy for us today on Sunday. I think that was a great coaching move by coach Vic.”

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles threw two incomplete passes from the 1 in the waning moments after gaining six first downs on a lengthy drive, more than the five the Eagles managed before that.

BIG-PLAY EAGLES: Philadelphia wasted some memorable big plays.

Darren Sproles had a career-best 82-yard punt return for a touchdown — fifth-longest in Eagles history — and Malcolm Jenkins ran an interception 53 yards for a score for the Eagles. Brad Smith recovered Trey Burton’s blocked punt against Andy Lee for a TD.

The Eagles have forced a takeaway in 17 straight games including the playoffs.

BETHEA’S 100TH STRAIGHT START: Bethea made his 100th consecutive start, the longest streak by an active safety — and it was a memorable outing.

Bethea forced a fumble and made an interception on the Eagles’ last-ditch drive to seal it, his first pick since joining San Francisco as a free agent. He spent his first eight seasons with the Colts.

“It was important to me, man. That’s something I hold close, dear to my heart,” Bethea said. “Just being reliable, being able to have my coaches and teammates to rely on me week-in and week-out. That’s something I’ve really held onto my career so far.”

EAGLES MAKESHIFT O-LINE: The Eagles never got going in the run game, and it sure didn’t help to have a patchwork offensive line.

They managed 22 total yards rushing.

“We had the ball enough,” running back LeSean McCoy said. “We didn’t do anything with it.”

Left guard Matt Tobin and center David Molk made their first career starts for the Eagles on a beat-up offensive line. Molk replaced Jason Kelce, who had sports hernia surgery last week. With All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis and backup right tackle Allen Barbre already hurt and starting right tackle Lane Johnson serving the final game of his four-game suspension, left tackle Jason Peters was the only player in his usual spot.

“Man, I feel real bad right now,” Peters said. “I can’t really describe the feeling. We’re two yards from a win and they stopped us. It hurt.”

DAVIS AND DAVIS: A pair of offensive standouts named Davis returned to the field, then got hurt again.

49ers tight end Vernon Davis came back after missing one game with a left ankle injury, then left with a back injury in the third quarter. He was still experiencing spasms after the game but said an X-ray was negative.

Right tackle Anthony Davis made his season debut after nursing an injured hamstring for the preseason and first three games, but he also exited. Kaepernick was sacked and fell into the back of Davis’ left knee.

Harbaugh had no updates on either player afterward.

“I’ll be all right,” said Vernon Davis, who had two catches before the injury.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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