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No. 5 Ohio State launches season against Navy

By WTOP Staff

BALTIMORE (AP) — Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo found the routine of watching film of fifth-ranked Ohio State to be cause for consternation as Saturday’s season opener drew closer.

“It seems like every time I turn on the tape that team gets better,” Niumatalolo said. “Ohio State has always gotten great players, but Coach (Urban) Meyer has taken their recruiting to another level since he got there. There are phenomenal athletes at every position on the field.”

Navy, in contrast, has only has a handful of players that were offered scholarships by other Football Bowl Subdvision schools. That explains in part why the Midshipmen are two-touchdown underdogs.

The Buckeyes have won 24 straight regular-season games and have national championship aspirations despite losing starting quarterback Braxton Miller to a season-ending shoulder injury.

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Here are some things to know about the Navy-Ohio State matchup:

UPSET SPECIAL: Niumatalolo has said several times that this is the most talented team he’s seen during his 17 years at Navy. The Midshipmen had the Buckeyes on the ropes when the schools met in the opener of this two-game series in 2009. A two-point conversion pass that would have tied the game with 2:23 remaining was intercepted and returned to the opposite end zone to give the Buckeyes a 31-27 victory. But Navy, despite closing the 2013 season with a five-game winning streak, has not beaten a team ranked in the top five since upsetting No. 2 South Carolina in November 1984.

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP: Navy’s best hope for an upset may rest with the vast difference in experience between the quarterbacks. Junior Keenan Reynolds is beginning his third season as a starter and owns a 15-6 record as the trigger man of the Midshipmen’s patented triple-option offense. Ohio State redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett has not played in a game since sustaining a season-ending leg injury early in his senior season at Rider High in Wichita Falls, Texas. Reynolds, on the other hand, set an NCAA record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 31 in 2013.

BLOCKING WILL BE KEY: Opponents with strong defensive lines have given Navy trouble in the past and Ohio State has one of the nation’s best. Senior defensive tackle Michael Bennett, who has 17 1/2 career tackles for loss, anchors the unit. Junior Noah Spence was named first team All-Big Ten last season and Joey Bosa returns after a solid freshman season. “Everything starts up front for us and we’re going against one of the best defensive lines, if not the best, in the country. We better come ready to play or it could get ugly,” Niumatalolo said.

CONTAINING THE TRIPLE: This will be the first time any member of Ohio State’s defense has gone against a true triple-option opponent, and it will no doubt take time to adjust to the speed at which Navy executes. A year ago, the Midshipmen ranked second nationally in rushing average with 325.4 yards per game. “They’re very, very good at what they do,” said former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, who watched Navy amass 342 total yards in the 2009 meeting. “They’ve run it for a long time and they’re probably not going to make a mistake. The key for the defense is to not make any mistakes.”

PHYSICAL TEST: Most college football fans associate spread offense with finesse teams that rely on a short to intermediate passing plays. Niumatalolo has told anyone who will listen that Ohio State is an extremely physical club that plays smash-mouth football. Ohio State left tackle Tayler Decker, who is 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, will be going up against Navy defensive end Will Anthony (6-1, 246). Ezekiel Elliott (6-0, 225), who is expected to start at tailback for the Buckeyes, is bigger than most of the Midshipmen’s linebackers. “There are all sorts of different variations of the spread. Some guys get in the gun and throw the ball around. These guys will hit you in the mouth. That’s always been Urban Meyer’s mentality,” Niumatalolo said. “They’re going to come off the football and punch you in the mouth, they’re going to mash you.”

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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