Skip to main content

Winston returns, Florida State believes it’s No. 1

By WTOP Staff

KAREEM COPELAND
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston is back.

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher announced his quarterback was once again the starter shortly after the top-ranked Seminoles survived their biggest regular-season scare since Winston earned the job at the start of 2013.

Winston cheered his teammates from the sideline Saturday night as Florida State squeaked by Clemson 23-17 in overtime at home. He was serving a one-game suspension for making “offensive and vulgar” comments about female anatomy on campus Tuesday. The schedule now favors the Seminoles (3-0, 1-0) with the face of the program under center and no ranked opponents for the next 26 days.

Backup quarterback Sean Maguire was pressed into action and threw for more than 300 yards. But his two interceptions and inconsistent play almost gave FSU its first loss since 2012. The rest of the team didn’t play much better as the offensive line struggled, the run game was nonexistent and the defense missed tackles regularly. Florida State hadn’t played an overtime game since a triple overtime loss to Penn State in the 2006 Orange Bowl.

“I think distractions were part of it,” Fisher said. “Yeah, I definitely do. I thought the last 48 hours … we resolved and came back.

“The mental resolve of this football team, that’s why I love them. They understand how to rally together, they understand how to pull together, and they understand how much they care for each other. I think they mentally got themselves back together.”

Questions swirled about whether the Seminoles deserve to retain their No. 1 ranking. The team was held to 13 rushing yards on 27 attempts with Maguire was sacked five times.

The offensive line, comprised of five seniors, lost the matchup against Clemson’s defensive line. Winston likely would have avoided some of those sacks with his mobility and quick decision-making. But the FSU defense gave up 400 yards — something that didn’t happen at all during the 2013 regular season. Clemson’s 306 passing yards were the most the Seminoles have allowed since 2011 — a span of 39 games.

“They had a lot of adversity, but they hung in there and they fought,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Great teams find a way to win and they have won 19 in a row for a reason.”

The winner of Florida State-Clemson has played in the ACC championship the last five years.

“We ain’t lost in 19 straight games,” Fisher said. “We are No. 1 till somebody beats us.”

Florida State should face minimal resistance in upcoming weeks with road trips to N.C. State and Syracuse bookending a home game against Wake Forest. The home game against Notre Dame on Oct. 18 could be the last ranked opponent the Seminoles face during the regular season.

A loss to Clemson could have ended aspirations of a second consecutive national title.

“It just shows that we have great players on this football team besides Jameis Winston,” said running back Karlos Williams, who scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime. “Although he’s our captain, he’s our leader, he’s the best player in college football, we showed tonight that we also have great players on this football team.

“I definitely think we should remain No. 1. We played against a very tough Clemson team who plays us difficult and tough year in and year out. ‘Bama played against a Florida team that was unranked. I believe that Oregon was playing against Washington State who is unranked.”

Fisher declined to speak about Winston’s suspension, which was increased from a half game to a full game in a statement from Interim President Garnett S. Stokes and athletic director Stan Wilcox late Friday night. Stokes and Wilcox declined interviews and Winston was not made available after the game.

Winston, though, caused another scene when he took the field during pregame, fully dressed in pads and participated in warmups. Fisher looked annoyed, had a brief conversation with the 20-year-old and Winston jogged back up the tunnel. He returned moments later in pants, his No. 5 jersey without pads and a ball cap.

“I told him before the game ‘I got you, my brother, we’re going to be victorious,'” FSU receiver Rashad Greene said. “‘We’re doing this not only for ourselves, but we’re doing this for you. We support you 100 percent and we know how much you’re dying to be out there with us.’

“To be able to win without him it just says a lot.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote