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Huskers see no need to celebrate their 4-0 start

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has made it through non-conference play unbeaten for the first time in three years. Rest assured, no one in the Cornhuskers’ camp is celebrating.

The 21st-ranked Huskers (4-0) have endured embarrassing losses at least once in each of Bo Pelini’s first six seasons. That is in the backs of their minds — and, no doubt, the fans’ — as they go into Big Ten play this week against Illinois (3-1).

“Any given week, anything can happen,” running back Ameer Abdullah said. “We have had good years where we have lost to some teams that we probably should’ve beat and some weeks where we beat a good team that we weren’t as talented as. Don’t believe the hype, don’t buy in to anything you hear. Don’t think that just because things are going well for you now that you can’t hit rock bottom at any point.”

Nebraska hammered Miami for 343 yards rushing in a 41-31 victory on Saturday, with Abdullah running for 229 yards on a career-high 35 carries and accounting for three touchdowns.

But the glass-half-empty outlook largely is the product of three games that left the Huskers red-faced a year ago — a huge blown lead in a home loss to UCLA, a road loss to Minnesota and a home loss to Iowa.

So far this season the Huskers have been impressive, especially on offense, outside a close call against FCS McNeese State in the second game.

The Huskers are among the top 10 teams nationally in total offense and scoring, but the Miami game exposed issues on the other side of the ball.

The linebackers were shaky and the secondary was soft at times. Freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya passed for a career-high 359 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Clive Walford was able to get open for a team-leading seven catches for 80 yards, and running back Duke Johnson caught five balls for 84 yards.

Nebraska starting middle linebacker Josh Banderas seemed a step slow in the open field and was run over by Johnson a handful of times. He was replaced by Trevor Roach late in the third quarter.

“We missed some tackles and we didn’t play well underneath,” Pelini said. “We got beat a few times. There are some things we didn’t adjust to very well.

“But we’ve got some young guys in there, too. It wasn’t a wholesale thing. Believe me, I’m not pushing the panic button as far as that’s concerned. Trust me, I like what this defense can be.”

There were a couple bright spots. Linebacker David Santos made a diving interception in the first half and had 10 tackles. Roach, on his first play after Banderas left, stripped the ball from Johnson and cornerback Josh Mitchell ran it back 57 yards for a touchdown.

The Huskers aren’t deep at linebacker, especially after Michael Rose went out in the preseason with a torn ACL. Rose, the unit’s best run stopper in the middle, will be missed against physical Big Ten running backs. A huge test comes in two weeks at Michigan State and Jeremy Langford.

“We’re 4-0. That’s the important thing,” Santos said. “It’s conference play and the tempo has to pick up. We’re on a mission, obviously, to win the Big Ten championship.”

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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