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Florida State, Stanford face uncertain unbeatens

By WTOP Staff

RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

An undefeated record in late September can be deceiving. And confusing.

It’s hard to know what to make of North Carolina State and Washington’s 4-0 marks. Neither has played top competition so far. And both have barely escaped being upset at least once.

Those prefect records get put to the test Saturday when the Wolfpack host No. 1 Florida State and the Huskies face No. 16 Stanford in Seattle.

The first four games of Chris Petersen’s tenure with Washington have been odd. Playing without their starting quarterback, the Huskies slipped by Hawaii, 17-16. Next was a wild 59-52 victory against Eastern Washington, an FCS power.

The Huskies pounded Illinois (44-19), their most impressive victory, and then pulled away from Georgia State (45-14) after trailing 14-0 at the half.

North Carolina State has already passed last season’s win total in Year 2 under coach Dave Doeren by coming from behind to beat Georgia Southern 24-23 and then scoring at least 42 points in more comfortable wins against Old Dominion, South Florida and Presbyterian.

Jameis Winston returns to the action for the Seminoles after being suspended for last week’s Clemson game.

The last time Florida State went to Raleigh, North Carolina, was 2012, and EJ Manuel and the Seminoles were upset 17-16 by the Wolfpack. The ‘Noles have lost only game since and enter with a 19-game winning streak.

“When you play a team with the nation’s longest winning streak, it’s a really good measuring stick,” Doeren said.

The picks:

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

No. 11 UCLA (minus 3 1/2) at No. 15 Arizona State

Sun Devils will be without QB Taylor Kelly. Bruins QB Brett Hundley’s status is uncertain because of an injury to his non-throwing arm. Key Pac-12 South game could turn into battle of backups. Mike Bercovici replaces Taylor. Jerry Neuheisel would step in for Hundley. … UCLA 31-28.

BEST BET

Texas Tech (plus 14) at No. 24 Oklahoma State

Cowboys have won five straight meetings, scoring at least 52 in each of the last three … OKLAHOMA STATE 42-24.

MARQUEE MATCHUP

No. 6 Texas A&M (minus 8 1/2) vs. Arkansas at Arlington, Texas

Razorbacks probably can’t stop Aggies’ passing game. Aggies probably can’t stop Razorbacks’ running game. … TEXAS A&M 45-35.

CONFERENCE CALLS

No. 1 Florida State (minus 19 1/2) at N.C. State

After great escape against Clemson, do ‘Noles return to form or continue search for answers? … FLORIDA STATE 34-17.

No. 7 Baylor (minus 21) at Iowa State

Bears scored 71 against Cyclones last season, but that was at home. Year before, Cyclones beat Bears in Ames and allowed only 21. Odd things can happen in Ames … BAYLOR 41-24.

Tennessee (plus 17) at No. 12 Georgia

Bulldogs have won four straight vs. Volunteers, but last year’s game went to OT. Young Vols are bound to pull an upset this season, but probably not on the road … GEORGIA 38-20.

Oregon State (plus 9 1/2) at No. 18 Southern California

Beavers are another unbeaten team looking to make a statement … USC 35-21.

Illinois (plus 20) at No. 21 Nebraska

Don’t forget Huskers’ Ameer Abdullah when talking about nation’s best running backs — and Heisman Trophy contenders … NEBRASKA 42-27.

UPSET SPECIAL I

Missouri (plus 5 1/2) at No. 13 South Carolina

Same Gamecocks team that was routed by Texas A&M can grab firm control of SEC East by beating the division’s defending champs. Lesson: long season … MISSOURI 34-28.

UPSET SPECIAL II

No. 16 Stanford (minus 7 1/2) at Washington

Cardinal have played only Army since losing to USC and have plenty of questions to answer, too … WASHINGTON 28-20.

WORTH A LOOK

No. 8 Notre Dame (minus 12 1/2) vs. Syracuse at East Rutherford, New Jersey

Second straight game for Fighting Irish in an NFL stadium after beating Purdue in Indianapolis two weeks ago … NOTRE DAME 28-17.

Memphis (plus 19) at No. 10 Mississippi

With Alabama up next for Rebels, beating the Tigers could be all that stands in the way of ESPN College GameDay making its first trip to Oxford for tailgating in the Grove … OLE MISS 38-14.

Cincinnati (plus 15) at No. 22 Ohio State

Bearcats have been having trouble stopping MAC offenses … OHIO STATE 38-28.

UNRANKED BUT NOT UNINTERESTING

Minnesota (plus 12) at Michigan

Utah helped turn the Big House into the Big Empty. Gophers try to increase the angst in Ann Arbor … MICHIGAN 21-17.

North Carolina (plus 14 1/2) at Clemson

The DeShaun Watson era has begun at Clemson. The freshman quarterback should find the Tar Heels’ defense, which allowed over 700 yards to East Carolina last week, appealing … CLEMSON 38-31.

Duke (plus 7) at Miami

Blue Devils snapped nine-game losing streak to Hurricanes last season … MIAMI 31-21.

___

Last week: Record straight: 15-3; vs. points 9-9.

Season: Record straight: 59-16; vs. points 33-42-1.

Best bet: 1-3.

Upset special: 2-2.

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

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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