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No. 9 South Carolina, No. 16 Clemson lose openers

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Maybe it’s not too early for some Palmetto panic after No. 9 South Carolina and No. 16 Clemson both were blown out on opening weekend.

It’s the first time in 15 years the Palmetto State’s teams each started 0-1. More than the defeats might be how awful the Gamecocks and Tigers looked in the losses minus the stars they counted on the past few seasons.

No. 21 Texas A&M and first-time quarterback starter Kenny Hill put up 680 yards of offense, the most allowed in Gamecocks’ history in a 52-28 victory last Thursday night.

Then Saturday, Clemson and its fast-paced, high-flying attack was held scoreless in the second half — the first time that’s happened in coordinator Chad Morris’ four seasons — in No. 12 Georgia’s 45-21 win.

The Gamecocks, after three straight 11-2 seasons, entered the opener as the trendy pick to win the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division.

Instead, Hill exposed flaws in a defense that lost NFL No. 1 draft pick Jadeveon Clowney and four others who were the backbone of last season’s group.

The loss ended an 18-game home win streak at South Carolina, which had spruced up its stadium including an 85-foot tall banner of Steve Spurrier looming over spectators.

“I think we all were surprised pretty much when it all didn’t go according to plan,” Spurrier said Sunday.

Part of the plan was a stout running game, led by 1,000-yard rusher Mike Davis.

But Davis, who had a rib injury during fall camp, was hurt again against the Aggies and did not play in the second half.

Davis finished with 15 yards on six carries. Spurrier doubted whether Davis could play this week when the Gamecocks try and rebound against East Carolina.

Most distressing for Spurrier had to be the play of his defense, which figured to absorb the losses of last year’s standouts without much problem. A&M’s production was staggering. Hill passed for a school record 511 yards in his first start replacing Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

“We weren’t even average,” Spurrier said. “We were pretty sorry.”

Clemson came into Saturday hoping to survive another close game with regional rival Georgia.

And that’s the way it looked for a half, tied at 21 with quarterbacks Cole Stoudt and DeShaun Watson answering back each time the Bulldogs scored.

In the second half, though, Georgia’s defense clamped down on a Tigers attack that had averaged more than 40 points and 500 yards in each of the past two years. Clemson managed just 15 yards of offense the final 30 minutes.

“That’s our job as coaches to keep them executing at a high level,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said of his offense Sunday. “We didn’t do a good job of that.”

Clemson defense, led by All-American end Vic Beasley, was supposed to hold the line while the Tigers uncovered new offensive playmakers to replace record-setters in receiver Sammy Watkins and quarterback Tajh Boyd.

But Georgia star Todd Gurley broke through a tired-looking group to finish with four touchdowns to pull away from the Tigers.

“It’s a risk you take when you schedule games like these,” Swinney said Sunday.

Several fans from both sides on sports-talk radio and chat rooms were calling for drastic measures — for South Carolina, it was firing several defensive assistants; Clemson backers called for Stoudt to sit and Watson to play full time — but neither Spurrier nor Swinney were planning major changes.

Each believe in their players and hope they’ll find their stride in home games this week, South Carolina vs. East Carolina and Clemson vs. South Carolina State of the Football Championship Subdivision.

“We got a long way to go, 11 more opportunities,” Swinney said. “We’ve got to make the most of them.”

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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