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A look at Week 6 of the Pac-12 season

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Two undefeated teams met Thursday night when Arizona faced No. 2 Oregon to kick off Week 6 in the Pac-12. Here are a few other things to watch after that game:

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 14 Stanford at No. 9 Notre Dame. A non-conference game, but one that could end up affecting the first year of the College Football Playoff. The Cardinal (3-1) are still in the mix for the Pac-12 title and a potential playoff spot despite losing to Southern California. The Irish are 4-0, but have yet to face anyone as physical or formidable as Stanford after facing four teams with a combined 7-11 record. Beating the Cardinal could look awfully good in the eyes of the playoff selection committee — as long as the Irish don’t follow up with a slip-up somewhere else on the schedule.

BEST MATCHUP: UCLA’s kick-coverage teams against Utah return specialist Kaelin Clay. UCLA coach Jim Mora was adamant that his team would kick to Clay or any other returner, saying the Bruins have one of the best kickoff and punt coverage teams in the nation. He’s right. UCLA has yet to allow a single return yard in 23 punts this season and is 11th nationally on kickoff coverage, allowing 16.5 yards per game. But they also haven’t faced anyone like Clay. Though small — 5-foot-10, 183 pounds — Clay is fast and has already tied Utah’s single-season record with three punt-return touchdowns.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Oregon State leads the FBS in kickoff returns, averaging 32.5 yards per game. Senior Ryan Murphy helped that average last week with a 97-yard return for a TD against USC. … Washington State QB Connor Halliday broke Alex Brink’s school record with his 78th career TD pass against Utah last week and still leads the nation with 2,318 yards passing, nearly 500 more than Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty. … USC’s Cody Kessler has yet to throw an interception in 132 pass attempts this season.

IMPACT PLAYER: Arizona State QB Mike Bercovici. The junior waited three years to get his shot and had some spectacular moments in his debut. Playing in place of injured starter Taylor Kelly, Bercovici broke school records for attempts (68) and completions (42) while throwing for 488 yards and three TDs. He also had three turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble — which helped lead to a 62-27 blowout loss to UCLA last week. He will start again this week at No. 16 USC with Kelly still out.

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Compiled by AP College Football Writer John Marshall.

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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