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N Illinois hopes to bounce back after losing title

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

A bump in the road or a changing of the guard?

Northern Illinois arrived in Detroit for last year’s Mid-American Conference championship game with an undefeated record, but the Huskies lost 47-27 to Bowling Green, ending their shot at a third straight league title.

Star quarterback Jordan Lynch has moved on to the NFL, and Northern Illinois is expected to face a significant challenge in the MAC’s West division from Toledo.

The Huskies have represented the conference well, reaching the Orange Bowl at the end of the 2012 season, but the rest of the MAC has to feel as if there’s an opening at the top after Northern Illinois looked so formidable for a while.

“This year is so much different than last year because we have so many people in different roles,” Huskies coach Rod Carey said. “We’re always changing. Hopefully it’s a good change.”

Don’t write off Northern Illinois just yet. The showdown with Toledo — which may decide the division title — will be a home game for the Huskies.

And although Lynch is gone, Northern Illinois has had to replace top talent before and succeeded anyway. Chandler Harnish of the Huskies was the MAC’s offensive player of the year in 2011 before Lynch won the award the past two seasons.

Here are 10 things to watch in the MAC this year:

NEW STARS?: Lynch was outplayed in last season’s title game by Matt Johnson, and now the Bowling Green quarterback is the man dealing with all the hype as the season approaches. Johnson is on the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp Award, which goes to the nation’s best player. Also keep an eye on Ball State running back Jahwan Edwards.

TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW: Lynch finished third in the Heisman Trophy vote in 2013, part of a remarkable 12 months in which the MAC also had a team (Northern Illinois) in a BCS bowl and a player (Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher) picked No. 1 in the NFL draft. That stretch will be tough to top.

HOME COOKING: MAC schools always play their share of big-name opponents, but it’s not every day one of them has a chance to do so at home. Toledo hosts Missouri on Sept. 6, and Buffalo hosts Baylor on Sept. 12. Massachusetts will play at home against Boston College and Colorado early in the season.

TAKING OVER: There are four new coaches in the MAC since the end of the 2013 regular season — Dino Babers at Bowling Green, Chuck Martin at Miami of Ohio, Chris Creighton at Eastern Michigan and Mark Whipple at Massachusetts. Babers takes over the defending MAC champion after leading Eastern Illinois to a quarterfinal appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision.

ON THE RISE?: Akron had lost 19 straight conference games before winning four of five down the stretch last season — a breakthrough that was perhaps foreshadowed by the Zips’ near-upset of Michigan in September. Eight offensive starters return for coach Terry Bowden’s team.

WEST RACE: Northern Illinois has played in the MAC title game the past four seasons, largely at the expense of Toledo, which has had its share of good teams as well over that span. Can the Rockets unseat the Huskies atop the West? Toledo returns 10 starters on defense, and Northern Illinois returns nine on offense. The teams meet Nov. 11.

ANOTHER GAME TO WATCH: Bowling Green hosts Buffalo on Oct. 4, and if Buffalo wins that game, the Bulls may have a good shot to win the East since their schedule does not include Northern Illinois or Toledo.

SOLICH’S STREAK: Coach Frank Solich has led Ohio to five straight bowl appearances. Only Northern Illinois — with a league record six appearances in a row — has a longer streak going.

MICHIGAN MALAISE: Since Central Michigan’s division title in 2009, the three Michigan schools have fallen off the pace in the West. Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan are going through particularly tough times, having each gone 1-7 in conference play last season.

EARLY START: So much for scheduling a few nonconference games before the MAC season starts. Kent State will host Ohio on Aug. 30 in the season opener for both teams — and the loser will already be facing an uphill climb in the East.

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Predicted order of finish:

EAST — 1. Bowling Green, 2. Buffalo, 3. Akron, 4. Kent State, 5. Ohio, 6. Miami (OH), 7. Massachusetts.

WEST — 1. Northern Illinois, 2. Toledo, 3. Ball State, 4. Central Michigan, 5. Western Michigan, 6. Eastern Michigan.

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Title game winner: Northern Illinois

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Online:

AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org

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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