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Playoffs could create chances for Big Ten teams

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — As he watched the BCS championship game last season, Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook could not help but wonder:

What if a playoff system were in place? Would the Spartans be playing for the biggest prize?

No need to wonder anymore. The old BCS system is out. A four-team playoff to determine a national champion is being implemented this season, and that could open some more opportunities for the Big Ten and the other four power conferences.

“Hopefully, this will give everyone an equal opportunity to play for a national championship, which everyone wants,” Cook said Tuesday as the Big Ten wrapped up its two-day media event.

It was a chance the Spartans would have loved to have last season.

They went 13-1, beat Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game and knocked off Stanford to capture the Rose Bowl. But when the BCS matchup arrived, it was Florida State taking on Auburn.

“You’re watching Auburn and Florida State and (thinking), ‘You know what? If we were playing either one of these teams, we feel like we could have won,” Cook said.

The last Big Ten team to win a national championship was Ohio State in 2002, and no one from the conference has played for one since the 2007 season, when the Buckeyes lost their second straight BCS title game.

Michigan State comes into this season with big goals. So does Ohio State after going 24-2 overall and 16-0 in regular-season conference play its first two years under coach Urban Meyer, but it’s not just the traditional powerhouses. Competitive programs that aren’t quite marquee names see an opportunity now that a playoff system is in place.

How about a national championship for Northwestern at some point? To coach Pat Fitzgerald, that’s now a possibility and his reasoning goes beyond unbridled enthusiasm.

He sees a more even field and a bigger opportunity for his program under the new system. A big reason is the initial Top 25 released by the selection committee in late October will be based solely on performance to that point. The BCS Top 25 was released around the same time, but it incorporated the coaches and Harris polls, which had preseason rankings. That, in turn, might have skewed the strength of schedule component.

“Up until this year, I don’t know if we did (have a shot),” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t know if we did. I’m not sexy. We’re not sexy, you know? Our fans don’t click on websites enough, on dot-com sites. All that nonsense is gone. It’s all gone, and I’m not saying the BCS was bad. You’ve got to win, period, and I like it. I think everybody in this room should feel real confident that if you win the Big Ten championship game with a competitive schedule (you’ll be in the playoff). And you’ve got to win now. Don’t think in any of these conferences that you’re going to be a nine-win conference champion or a 10-win conference champion and you’re going to be in the final four; it ain’t gonna happen.”

Under the new system, Fitzgerald said, strength of schedule becomes a more fluid element. Playing an opponent that is unexpectedly struggling could hurt it. Then again, a team on the rise might give it a boost. And what about a team that’s short-handed because of injuries?

“We play a team in November that may have won eight games already but lost two or their of their star players in one of those games, and now we beat them by three touchdowns,” Fitzgerald said. “Now, the narrative from you guys is Michigan didn’t have A, B and C, that’s why Northwestern won by three touchdowns. That’s what’s going to be interesting to me, how those things influence it as opposed to what the strength of your conference has been in the past.”

The new system probably won’t solve everything. There will be that fifth — and sixth, seventh or eighth — team that feels it deserves to be in the field.

For fans, travel could be an issue. If they go to the first playoff game, will they be able to afford a second trip? And if they decide to wait a round, their team might be eliminated.

The playoffs could also be a grind for the players, Meyer said. Ohio State could go from playing rival Michigan to the Big Ten title game, a semifinal and a national championship.

“That’s a tough road,” said Meyer, who’s in favor of the playoffs. “I think the teams that play a rival, then a championship game … at Florida, we played FSU and then played the SEC championship game, then played the title game. Now you add one more after that. I’m not sure you’ve got enough steam in the engine to finish that game.”

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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