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Mississippi St beats Southern Miss 49-0

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for a career-high 284 yards and four touchdowns, including two to De’Runnya Wilson, and Mississippi State cruised to a 49-0 victory over Southern Mississippi in the season-opener for both teams on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs dominated from the outset, needing nine plays on the opening drive to cruise 87 yards downfield. Prescott ended the drive by finding Wilson for a wide open 25-yard touchdown pass — the first of many offensive highlights.

A few Mississippi State hiccups kept the game close early, but the Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and gained 387 yards in the first half for a 28-0 lead.

Southern Miss struggled in every facet, gaining just 283 total yards and giving up 550. The Golden Eagles’ best chance to score was a 30-yard field goal attempt that was blocked and then returned by MSU’s Jay Hughes for a touchdown.

Mississippi State and Southern Miss played for the first time since 1990.

The return of the in-state rivalry was announced five years ago with much fanfare — and the Golden Eagles still lead the all-time series 14-13-1 — but that was when the two programs were much more evenly matched. The Golden Eagles have fallen apart over the past two years and have now lost 24 of 25 games dating back to 2012.

Second-year coach Todd Monken said he hoped the Golden Eagles would be more competitive this season thanks to a deeper roster and continuity within the coaching staff.

That may be true eventually, but they were overmatched for the vast majority of the evening against a Southeastern Conference opponent, especially along the line of scrimmage where Mississippi State’s strength advantage was obvious.

Sophomore Nick Mullens had a rough night, completing just 20 of 42 passes for 212 yards and two interceptions. He rarely had a chance to get comfortable in the pocket, with Mississippi State defensive linemen like Preston Smith and Nelson Adams in his face the entire game.

Mississippi State was able to use its backups by midway through the third quarter after building a 42-0 lead.

Prescott recovered from a sluggish start to complete 18 of 26 passes. Josh Robinson rushed for 87 yards and also caught three passes for 49 yards. The 6-foot-5 Wilson, who is expected to be the Bulldogs’ main deep ball threat this season, caught four passes for 65 yards and the two touchdowns.

Fred Ross also caught two touchdown passes.

It was an especially good night for Hughes, who hauled in an interception late in the first half before his 68-yard touchdown on the blocked field goal in the third quarter. The MSU senior captain missed almost all of last season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the first quarter of the first game.

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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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