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Wild, wild SEC West set for historic day

By WTOP Staff

JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writers

Three teams from the Southeastern Conference’s powerful Western Division are finally going down.

That much is assured on Saturday, when six teams ranked in the top 15 clash in an unprecedented day for any division in major college football.

First, No. 6 Texas A&M visits No. 12 Mississippi State in what will be a sea of maroon and cowbells. Then the action heads 100 miles north to Oxford for an even bigger showdown: No. 3 Alabama at No. 11 Mississippi.

Later that night, No. 15 LSU visits No. 5 Auburn. It’s only the fifth time any division has had two games featuring Top 25 matchups on the same day, and the past two times it has featured SEC West teams, according to STATS.

No division has ever had a trifecta of Top 25 matchups.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban last week called it “the Golden Age of our division in the West.” SEC West teams have won five of the last seven national titles.

The last time a conference had three ranked matchups was in the Big Ten on Oct. 18, 2003. It hasn’t happened in the SEC since STATS began tracking rankings in 1993.

Alabama safety Landon Collins watched Arkansas flirt with an upset of Texas A&M on Saturday and pretty much summed up what’s ahead for the six legitimate contenders for the SEC West title.

“When I was watching the game, I just said, ‘This is crazy. This is going to be a crazy season,'” Collins said.

The historic day comes in a division that has a combined 28-4 record with three of those defeats coming in head-to-head matchups. Only Arkansas (3-2, 0-2) appears unlikely to contend, but it would be a feat for any SEC West team to emerge from the fray with a clean sweep of its division brethren.

Here’s a rundown of the three big matchups:

— No. 3 Alabama at No. 11 Ole Miss.

Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace acknowledges it is tough be a student these days. “You’re sitting in class and you’re trying to pay attention, but you know where your mind is at,” Wallace said. Ole Miss (4-0, 1-0 SEC) is undefeated through four games for the first time since 1970 and now has a chance to end a decade of futility against the Tide. The Rebels have lost 10 straight in the series and were shutout 25-0 last season in Tuscaloosa.

There are a myriad of intriguing matchups, including one that features family ties. Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin — who has injected some style into the Tide’s usually straightforward offense — will be trying to score points on his brother Chris, who is the defensive line coach for the Rebels.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze didn’t know if the relationship would help or hurt his team on Saturday. He just knows Alabama (4-0, 1-0) is really good once again.

“Hopefully our team plays its best game of the year,” Freeze said. “It’s going to take that against a really superb Alabama team.”

— No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 12 Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs have already had one big victory this season, ending a 14-game losing streak against LSU thanks to a 34-29 win on Sept. 20.

Now Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0) could really make things interesting in the West by beating the Aggies.

To do that, the Bulldogs will have to slow down Texas A&M’s prolific offense that’s led by first-year starting quarterback Kenny Hill. He led the Aggies (4-0, 2-0) to a stunning comeback over Arkansas on Saturday.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said Hill — who is only a sophomore — is playing like a veteran.

“He’s letting the ball go before receivers get in and out of breaks,” Mullen said. “There’s a lot of confidence that goes with that.”

Mississippi State has a pretty good quarterback, too. Junior Dak Prescott has thrown for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns through four games.

— No. 15 LSU at No. 5 Auburn.

LSU (4-1, 0-1) could have no margin for error after its loss to Mississippi State.

“I don’t think there is a person in our building that’s not excited about the opportunity to go down and play very well at Auburn,” LSU coach Les Miles said.

LSU handed Auburn (4-0, 1-0) its only regular-season loss last season on the way to the national championship game.

Auburn did rebound in the second half of that game after falling behind 21-0.

“Last year, that game really turned out heads,” Auburn tailback Corey Grant said. “It made us realize what we were capable of.”

Miles said LSU will start freshman quarterback Brandon Harris for the first time.

___

AP Sports Writer John Zenor reported from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and David Brandt reported from Oxford, Mississippi.

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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