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Heading into home opener, Buckeyes by the numbers

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A numerical look at the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes, who host Virginia Tech Saturday night in their 125th home opener:

— 34,923,376 — Total fans viewing Buckeyes home games at Ohio Stadium since the dedication game against Michigan on Oct. 21, 1922.

— $4.45 million — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer’s 2014 salary, not counting some benefits and bonuses.

— 1,191,436 — Total attendance at Ohio State’s 14 games last season, from a low of 44,095 at Illinois to a high of 113,511 at Michigan.

— 104,944 — Expanded capacity at Ohio Stadium, up from 102,329 a year ago thanks to an $8.9-million project that added 2,6115 seats — coming within a few feet of totally enclosing The Horseshoe. The record crowd at the old structure on the banks of the Olentangy River is 106,102 for Nebraska (a 63-38 win) on Oct. 6, 2012.

— 92,739– Largest crowd ever for a Virginia Tech game, at LSU in 2007.

— 9,922– Miles (or, if you prefer, 15,968 kilometers) from Ohio State punter Cameron Johnston’s home in Geelong, Australia, to Columbus, Ohio.

— 850 — All-time victories by the Ohio State program, with 318 defeats and 53 ties; Virginia Tech comes in at 706-445-46 in 121 seasons.

— 426 — Offensive plays on which he ran or passed last season by three-year Buckeyes starting quarterback Braxton Miller, who will sit out the 2014 season after surgery to repair a torn cartilage in his throwing (right) shoulder. His replacement, redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, debuted by completing 12 of 15 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, running for 50 yards on nine carries in his first appearance in a college game as the Buckeyes beat Navy 34-17 on Saturday in Baltimore.

— 175 — The difference, in pounds, between the heaviest Buckeye, 345-pound OL Marcelys Jones and the lightest, 170-pound CB Devonte Butler.

— $110 — Face value of a ticket to the Virginia Tech game. Ohio State is selling tickets to the Michigan game for $150. The other five home games are $79 apiece.

— 79 — Height in inches of the tallest Ohio State player, 6-foot-7 starting LT Taylor Decker. The shortest Buckeyes are 5-7 (67 inches) RB Jeffie Johnson and Butler.

— 74 — Victories for the Buckeyes in their last 81 games at Ohio Stadium, dating to the start of the 2002 season.

— 28 — Years since Urban Meyer graduated from the University of Cincinnati and number of years Frank Beamer (225-109-2) has been the Hokies’ coach.

— 14– Schools now official members of the Big Ten, including newcomers Maryland and Rutgers. Ohio State will be the Terrapins’ first home Big Ten opponent, on Oct. 4 at Byrd Stadium. The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers open conference play on Sept. 13 on their home field in Piscataway, N.J., against Penn State, then make their first road trip in the Big Ten to Ohio State on Oct. 18.

— 13– Number of people on the College Football Playoff selection committee, which will begin releasing a weekly Top 25 of its own on Oct. 28. The top four teams in the committee’s final vote will advance to semifinal games on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.

— 11½ — Points Ohio State is favored to win by against Virginia Tech, in the first meeting ever between the teams.

— 11– Starters returning for the Buckeyes, four on offense (not counting Miller) and seven on defense.

— 7 — Freshmen who are listed as possible starters for the Buckeyes against the Hokies. The depth chart also includes six sophomores, five juniors and nine seniors on the first team — with three positions listed as “or,” meaning without a set starter.

— 5– Night games — a school record — for Ohio State in 2014. Three are at home (Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, Cincinnati at 6 p.m. on Sept. 27 and Illinois at 8 p.m. on Nov. 1) and two on the road (at Penn State on Oct. 25 and at Michigan State on Nov. 15, both at 8 p.m.). That number could increase, too, since start times have not been determined yet for the games at Maryland, at Minnesota on Nov. 15, and at home against Indiana on Nov. 22 and Michigan on Nov. 29.

— 2 — Bye weeks for the Buckeyes, including the Saturdays on Sept. 20 and Oct. 11.; also, Barrett is just the second freshman to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes since 1950, joining Art Schlichter in 1979.

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Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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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