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No. 6 Texas A&M undefeated but far from perfect

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Far from perfect, Kenny Hill and sixth-ranked Texas A&M are still undefeated.

The Aggies faced adversity and remained unscathed with an impressive fourth-quarter comeback and a defensive uprising against Arkansas.

“This game is good for us as a team,” coach Kevin Sumlin said. “It’s the first time this year we’ve really been in that situation. We were off a little bit. Things here, there; we turned it over. But to come through and play the way he did at the end of the game is a big confidence boost for (Hill). Not that he needs it. He is a pretty confident guy. But for our team, too.”

Especially facing the gauntlet of games upcoming for the Aggies (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference).

After coming from two touchdowns down Saturday to win 35-28 in overtime against Arkansas (3-2, 0-2), the only of the seven SEC West teams unranked, the Aggies play at No. 12 Mississippi State next weekend, then take on No. 11 Ole Miss and go to No. 3 Alabama. There is still No. 5 Auburn, No. 24 Missouri and No. 15 LSU left after an off week and a home game against Louisiana-Monroe.

“We prep the same for Alabama as we do for Lamar University. That may be hard for some people to understand, but we prep the same,” defensive end Julien Obioha said. “So when the bullets started flying, we were resilient and held in there.”

Obioha had the initial hit on the game-ending play, when Arkansas running back Alex Collins — who finished with 131 yards rushing — was stuffed at the line for no gain on fourth-and-1 in overtime.

The Aggies, after winning their first four games by an average of 43 1/2 points, are 5-0 for the first time since 2001. They have outscored their opponents 62-3 in the fourth quarter, but this was the first time the game was even close by then.

“That we can compete with people in the SEC,” Hill responded when asked what the Aggies proved with the comeback against Arkansas. “I mean, we didn’t play our best. But we still competed and came out with a win. … I think that shows us, more than anything, we can come back from a deficit like that and we can still come out with a win.”

The Razorbacks, who lost their 14th consecutive SEC game, led 28-14 after Brandon Allen faked a handoff and threw a 44-yard touchdown to wide-open AJ Derby with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.

But that was Arkansas’ last substantial drive. A 55-yard run to the Aggies 3 early in the fourth quarter was wiped out by a personal foul penalty against left Dan Skipper, the left tackle whose holding penalty in the second quarter took a touchdown off the board.

Hill struggled early, only 3-of-9 passing for 15 yards into the second quarter. The successor to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, the Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback who was on the sideline, threw two long touchdowns in the fourth quarter– 86 yards to Edward Pope and 59 yards to Josh Reynolds. He threw a 25-yard touchdown to Malcome Kennedy on the first play of overtime, and finished 21-of-41 for 386 yards with four touchdowns and an interception that came between the two long passes.

“We know we can score like that. We know it is gasoline to a fire,” Kennedy said. “We were just waiting for that moment. We were confident in ourselves. We practice this. We do this.”

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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