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No. 14 South Carolina needs focus against Vandy

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier figures he’s got an equally difficult task getting No. 14 South Carolina ready for Vanderbilt as he did last week for Georgia.

Spurrier said while the Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) may have picked up a big victory over then-top-10 ranked Georgia, they are not close to being a dominant team that can take wins for granted. So they are not overlooking the struggling Commodores (1-2, 0-1).

“We are trying to get better. I hope we are. If we think we are a pretty good team just because we beat Georgia with a lot of good breaks, we are fooling ourselves,” Spurrier said Tuesday.

South Carolina got several fortunate bounces to preserve last week’s 38-35 victory, Spurrier said. Georgia’s all-SEC kicker Marshall Morgan missed two field goals and a Bulldogs’ intentional grounding penalty from the Gamecocks’ 4 late in the fourth quarter proved very costly.

The victory may have saved South Carolina from its first 0-2 SEC start since 2008, but it’s not how the Gamecocks have gone 11-2 the previous three seasons.

Spurrier said the Vanderbilt he’s watched seen on tape is a scrappy, fired-up team filled with pride — and one that could sting the Gamecocks if they’re not prepared. The season’s stats bear that out.

While the Commodores are last in SEC scoring offense, the Gamecocks are at the bottom in points given up a quarter of the way through the season. Where South Carolina has a clear advantage is in the passing game where it’s averaging 301 yards through the air. Vanderbilt has managed less than half of that under first-year coach Derek Mason.

Spurrier won’t let such stats blind him to Vanderbilt’s strengths.

“Vandy plays tough, we have been watching them on tape,” Spurrier said. “Their players play smart, play tough. Hopefully, we can go to Nashville and play like a good team. Hopefully, we can play better as we continue going through the season.”

It was a season that some South Carolina fans thought would trend downward in a hurry after No. 6 Texas A&M’s surprising 52-28 win three games ago. The Gamecocks defense gave up a school worst 680 yards of offense while their attack couldn’t match the Aggies precision passing game.

South Carolina found its footing a week alter with a 33-23 win over East Carolina — the same Pirates who took down ranked Virginia Tech last weekend — before holding its own against powerful Georgia.

Vanderbilt’s Mason expects the same, gritty effort from South Carolina he saw it bring to the Georgia game.

“Coach Spurrier’s one of the most seasoned coordinators in the country, one of the best head coaches in the country, with a football team that’s 2-1 right now,” Mason said. “They understand where they’re at. They’re playing with a sense of urgency,”

Gamecocks tight end Cody Gibson said beating Georgia showed how the hard work the players put in would pay off. “Beating Georgia gave us life again,” he said.

Gibson said he and his teammates won’t slacken simply because they’re three-touchdown favorites this weekend.

“If we can continue to keep winning, the sky is the limit this year,” he said. “We are going into Vanderbilt thinking the same thing, that’ll put us 2-0 in the SEC East. Our ultimate goal is to go to Atlanta and play for the SEC Championship so we are going into Vanderbilt and taking them as seriously as possible.”

That’s what Spurrier wants to hammer home this week when the stakes aren’t as large as a week ago. He’s built a 20-2 lifetime coaching mark over Vanderbilt by never looking past the Commodores — and will not start now.

“We’ve got a lot of room for improvement if we’re going to have a chance to have a big year,” the coach said. “So hopefully our guys know that.”

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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