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No. 10 Mississippi beats Memphis 24-3

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Quarterback Bo Wallace slapped Trae Elston on the back as he walked past the safety, and the two exchanged smiles but no words.

Nothing needed to be explained. It was pretty obvious Mississippi’s offense owes the defense after an ugly 24-3 victory over Memphis on Saturday.

The 10th-ranked Rebels slogged through much of the night on offense and special teams, mixing bad plays with costly penalties. But the defense was exceptional, holding Memphis to just 104 total yards.

“Our kids showed a great resolve,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “I’m extremely proud of our defense. I don’t know if we have had a better effort than that in my 2½ years here. They were phenomenal.”

Ole Miss led just 7-3 after three quarters but finally cut the mistakes and made some big plays. Jaylen Walton’s 23-yard run pushed the lead to 17-3 with 9:34 remaining and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium could finally exhale.

The Rebels (4-0) are undefeated through four games for the first time since 1970, but this one wasn’t easy.

It was an ugly night for Wallace, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. The senior was 22-of-37 passing for 248 yards and two touchdowns — both to Laquon Treadwell.

Special teams were also a problem. Andrew Fletcher missed two field goals and Markell Pack fumbled a punt that Memphis (2-2) recovered.

“We put ourselves behind the chains and I turned the ball over three times,” Wallace said. “That’s not what I expect of myself and that’s not what the offense expects of ourselves.”

Treadwell had five catches for 123 yards. Walton rushed for 78 yards on 10 carries.

It was the first time Ole Miss played as a top-10 team since 2009. The Rebels didn’t look the part on offense or special teams.

But the defense was terrific. Elston grabbed an interception in the third quarter that ended a promising Memphis drive and Marquis Haynes forced a fumble — which was recovered by Issac Gross — that set up Walton’s touchdown run.

“There are some games when the offense wins it. There’s going to be some games when the defense has to carry the load,” Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt said. “That’s how a team goes. It’s back and forth. I’m just really proud of the way the defense played — we never blinked.”

Ole Miss bumbled its way to a 7-3 halftime lead, failing to capitalize on a big statistical advantage in most categories.

Wallace’s 63-yard touchdown pass to Treadwell early in the first quarter gave the Rebels an early 7-0 advantage and a stout defensive line held Memphis to minus-4 rushing yards.

But the Rebels also had a series of bad and sometimes bizarre moments. Pack fumbled a punt and Wallace’s two interceptions ended promising drives.

To top it off, kickoff specialist Gary Wunderlich was ejected for fighting after a short melee between the two teams.

It wasn’t any better for much of the second half. A 71-yard touchdown run by Mark Dodson was called back late in the third quarter because of a holding penalty on Treadwell, drawing an audible groan from the crowd.

Even the Ole Miss coaching staff had costly mistakes. Freeze drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after arguing a call early in the fourth.

It’s not the first time Memphis — under third-year coach Justin Fuente — has given a nationally ranked program trouble this season.

The Tigers stayed right with No. 11 UCLA in a 42-35 loss on Sept. 6. This one didn’t have the offensive fireworks, but it did have the drama.

Memphis simply couldn’t move the ball. Paxton Lynch completed just 13 of 31 passes for 81 yards.

“(The Ole Miss defense) kicked our tail,” Fuente said. “They didn’t do anything new — they’re just pretty darn good.”

The Rebels’ win sets up the biggest home game for the program in more than a decade. They will host No. 3 Alabama on Saturday.

Ole Miss likely will have to play much better against the Crimson Tide to even have a chance.

It was a festive atmosphere early on in Oxford until the lackluster performance. The Rebels spent much of the weekend honoring the memory of Chucky Mullins, an Ole Miss defensive back who was paralyzed while making a tackle in 1989 and died 18 months later from a blood clot.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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