Skip to main content

Winston, champ FSU open at site of next title game

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher is leading quarterback Jameis Winston into a new season in another NFL stadium, under very different circumstances.

Winston is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, not a freshman playing his first college game. And the Seminoles are the top-ranked defending national champions playing on the same field where the 2014 title winner will be crowned in the first year of the new playoff format.

It’s all good, Fisher says of the opener against unranked Oklahoma State on Saturday night in the $1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys with the giant video board hanging over the turf.

“It’s good for camp. It’s good for the offseason,” said Fisher, whose team is trying to match a school record with its 17th straight victory. “I think it’s good for college football. You can’t do it all the time because schedules don’t allow you to do it, but I’m very excited about this and very pleased and looking forward to the opportunity.”

Winston offered quite a preview in his college debut a year ago, completing 25 of 27 passes for 356 yards in a 41-13 victory over Pitt at the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That set the stage for the highest-scoring season in FBS history, capped by a touchdown pass in the final seconds of a 34-31 win over Auburn at the Rose Bowl in the final championship game under the BCS format.

Now Florida State is playing for a coveted spot in the four-team College Football Playoff, with the winners of those two New Year’s Day semifinals coming to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ massive showplace on Jan. 12.

Don’t forget that Oklahoma State is playing for one of those spots too, and these Cowboys have just two fewer wins than the Seminoles over the past six seasons. They just missed out on the title game three years ago and were angling for a spot in the conversation last year before two losses to finish the season.

“This is the most difficult year we’ve had in terms of returning players,” said coach Mike Gundy, whose team returns 10 starters compared to 15 for the defending champs. “We’ll find out where we’re at. We’ve got good, young players in the program. They’re just not very experienced.”

What to watch in Florida State’s first visit to the Dallas area since a 10-2 win over Texas A&M in the 1992 Cotton Bowl:

MORE THAN WINSTON

The FSU offense returns one of the most prolific receivers in school history in Rashad Greene, big things are expected from Karlos Williams in a running game that lost a lot of production and the offensive line features four senior starters. “I’m excited to play against them,” Oklahoma State defensive tackle James Castleman said. “I’m excited to play against the Heisman winner. I’m excited about all of it.”

COWBOYS CLASSIC

The season-opening neutral site game is named for the NFL team, not the visitors from Oklahoma. But it figures to feel like a home game for Oklahoma State, which has twice played in the Cotton Bowl in the five years since it moved to Arlington from the historic Fair Park stadium of the same name near downtown Dallas. “It’s close to their home and I’m sure they’ll have a great home crowd there,” Fisher said.

STANDOUT SECONDARY

Florida State defensive backs are calling themselves “The No Fly Zone” after leading the country in pass defense last year and setting a school record with 26 interceptions. P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby are potential first-round draft picks at cornerback. Sophomore safety Jalen Ramsey started all 14 games in 2013 and was the first FSU freshman to start at cornerback since Deion Sanders in 1985.

OSU PASSING GAME

J.W. Walsh will start at quarterback for the Cowboys, but Daxx Garman and Mason Rudolph could play. Oklahoma State lost its top two receivers from last year but always seems to find new ones. That legacy will be on display among the spectators, with Dez Bryant expected to watch from his suite. He was a first-round pick by Dallas four years ago out of Oklahoma State. Sophomore Jhajuan Seales is the leading returning receiver.

LONG TIME NO SEE

The Seminoles and Cowboys last played nearly 30 years ago, when Florida State won the 1985 Gator Bowl 34-23. Oklahoma State’s only win was 15-6 in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky — the first of five different cities for the five meetings. Florida State hasn’t played a regular-season game in Texas since defeating North Texas State 21-20 in 1976 on snow-covered Fouts Field in Denton, about 30 miles north of Arlington.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote