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USM, Mississippi St renew in-state rivalry

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — When Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi agreed to a home-and-home football series five years ago, it was hailed as an intriguing matchup between two fairly even programs.

Things have changed drastically.

Now the Bulldogs are a perennial postseason team while the Golden Eagles have fallen off a cliff, losing 23 of their past 24 games over the previous two seasons. Mississippi State will be more than a four-touchdown favorite when it hosts Southern Miss on Saturday at newly renovated Davis Wade Stadium.

Even so, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen isn’t taking anything for granted this weekend.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge,” Mullen said. “… Probably on a national level (this is) a very underrated game, but on a state-wide level a game that has been waiting since 1990 to be played. I think everybody is pretty fired up about it.”

Mississippi State’s expectations are high this fall after finishing 7-6 last season. Junior quarterback Dak Prescott returns after a stellar first season as the starter and the Bulldogs return nearly their entire starting defense.

Southern Miss — which is led by second-year coach Todd Monken — is still in a state of flux. The Golden Eagles do return sophomore quarterback Nick Mullens and have a deeper roster than last season, when they lost their first 11 games before a 62-27 victory over UAB in the season finale.

The opener against Mississippi State is part of a tough early-season schedule. The Golden Eagles also travel to face Alabama on Sept. 13.

“We have to play good football,” Monken said. “We have to take care of the football. We have to try to find a way to get explosive plays. We have to find a way to create turnovers and not give up explosive plays. That is really it. I don’t know if there is any individual match up that you say, “Ok, that is our advantage.” I don’t look at it that way. I look at it as we have to play well.”

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Here are some things to watch when Mississippi State hosts Southern Miss:

DAK’S THE MAN: Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott enters his junior season as the unquestioned leader of the offense. He came into last season as the backup to Tyler Russell, but after Russell was injured in the opening game Prescott asserted himself as a quality dual threat, throwing for 1,940 yards and rushing for 823.

HOW DOES THE LINE LOOK: Mississippi State’s experienced roster doesn’t have many question marks, but the offensive line is a bit of a concern. Damien Robinson, the projected starter at right tackle, was lost for the season after a knee injury last week and the Bulldogs will be looking for depth and quick improvement from young players.

A RETURN TO THE RIVALRY: This is the first time Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State have met on the football field since Sept. 22, 1990. There was a lot of hype for this matchup when the two teams agreed to it in 2009, though that’s diminished some since the Golden Eagles have lost 23 of 24 games during the past two seasons.

MULLENS YEAR 2: Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens was thrown into the action as a true freshman, having occasional success despite playing behind a dreadful offensive line and having no support in the run game. Now that the talent around him is better, it might be easier to see if he’s truly the Golden Eagles’ quarterback of the future.

EAGLES MUST LEARN TO RUN: Southern Miss able to move the ball through the air in 2013, but managed just 875 total rushing yards. The Golden Eagles hope a revamped offensive line and experienced running backs like Jalen Richard and George Payne can produce better results.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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