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No. 18 USC regroups for Oregon State challenge

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oregon State has beaten Southern California three times in the schools’ last six meetings, including two victories over Trojans teams with top-three rankings.

Coach Steve Sarkisian knows all about the Beavers’ history of bedeviling the Trojans, and he realizes No. 18 USC can’t think about the past if it hopes to have much of a future in what’s already been a wacky season.

USC (2-1, 1-0 Pac-12) returns to the Coliseum for a visit from Oregon State (3-0, 0-0) on Saturday night, and the Trojans are still healing from their upset loss at Boston College two weeks ago.

USC’s defense was exposed as porous, tackling-deficient and unequipped to deal with the Eagles’ complex offense — all of which could be disastrous against the superior Beavers, who are looking for another landmark win with quarterback Sean Mannion.

Sarkisian is confident his Trojans will bounce back from their first loss of his tenure.

“Although we’ve been through a lot, they have a unique ability to keep their spirits high,” Sarkisian said. “They work extremely hard. It’s a process, and we’re in the middle of the process. We’re in the middle of the journey. Our guys recognize that. But the goal is to continue to get better every time we come out here, and I believe they work at that.”

Despite its impressive recent history against the touted Trojans, Oregon State hasn’t won at the Coliseum since 1960, losing 22 straight. Coach Mike Riley, the former USC assistant, has a team that appears capable of breaking the streak if its relatively untested defense can shut down the Trojans’ ample offensive talent.

“I told our team, ‘You don’t have to bear that burden,'” Riley said of the Beavers’ losing streak in Los Angeles. “‘This is our team, this year, and you don’t have to bear that burden of all that history.'”

Here are some more things to watch when Oregon State visits the Coliseum for its Pac-12 opener:

MANNION’S MOMENT: Mannion is among the most accomplished quarterbacks in Oregon State history and a likely NFL prospect, but the Bay Area product has never beaten USC. The schools didn’t meet in 2011 or 2012, and Mannion threw three interceptions in Oregon State’s loss to an Ed Orgeron-led Trojans team last season in Corvallis. The senior passer certainly had USC’s attention this week. “He’s a great quarterback,” USC linebacker Su’a Cravens said. “He can sling that thing. I’ve seen a play on film where he threw the ball about 70 yards down the field, so we’ve got to be ready for him. He is going to make the long throws that we’ve got to try to force him to make. It’s going to be a good game.”

HOW QUICKLY THEY FORGET: The goodwill from USC’s upset victory at Stanford quickly dissipated with the loss to Boston College, and Sarkisian is aware of the grumbling that already started with his defense’s flat performance. Those grumbles would amplify with a home loss to the Beavers, but the first-year coach of a probation-hampered program doesn’t mind. “I chose to come to USC to be the best, to win championships,” Sarkisian said. “Expectations are extremely high. When we don’t perform to our abilities, we need to fix it.”

RUNNING THE BUCK: USC tailback Javorius Allen scored three touchdowns in the Trojans’ win in Corvallis last season, and he is eager to get the running game going after it struggled in Boston. USC’s offensive line is a patchwork affair, with three potential freshmen starters and position switches abounding. “We just have to trust the coaching staff and believe in each other,” Allen said. “I know they can do it. I’ve seen them.”

UNTESTED BEAVERS: While USC opened its season with three potentially difficult games against Fresno State, Stanford and Boston College, Oregon State steamrolled through Portland State, Hawaii and San Diego State — three teams without an FBS victory among them. Riley is confident his club can ramp up its speed and smarts to meet the Trojans’ challenge.

CONFLICTED COACH: Jack Del Rio, the former USC linebacker and Jacksonville Jaguars coach, will be introduced during the game as an inductee to USC’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Trouble is, Del Rio’s son Luke is a backup quarterback at Oregon State. Jack Del Rio interviewed for the USC coaching job that went to Sarkisian.

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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