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No. 1 Florida St looks for perfect 60 minutes

By WTOP Staff

KAREEM COPELAND
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida State Seminoles remain the No. 1 team in the nation with a perfect record, but have lived a perilous existence in their three FBS victories. They are still searching for that perfect 60-minute complete game.

Little has come easy as FSU needed two second-half comebacks, including overtime against Clemson, and a late touchdown in the season-opener to hold onto its perch atop college football.

There’s no better time to clean things up than against an extremely young Wake Forest (2-3, 0-1) roster that is the only team in the ACC with a losing record.

“It’s just scary to see how slow we come out in the first half and … get behind and be so relaxed and still confident,” FSU receiver Rashad Greene said. “Not breaking apart. Come back forcefully and automatically click together.

“Who knows what can happen if we come out there and start fast? … I’m just excited as Jimbo (Fisher) and anxious to see how we play a full game.”

The Seminoles (4-0, 2-0) are ranked the No. 35 scoring offense in the nation after shattering offensive records during its title run. They’ve scored just 41 of their 116 points against FBS teams in the first half.

The run game headed by senior Karlos Williams has slowly gained steam, putting up 166 yards last week, but is still ranked No. 103 in the country. Senior Rashad Greene’s 543 receiving yards ranks No. 5 in FBS, but no one else on the roster has more than 200 receiving yards. Heisman-winning quarterback Jameis Winston had 10 interceptions in 12 games last year, but has four already. He missed one game due to a suspension.

“No team is invincible,” Wake Forest defensive lineman Zach Allen said. “I feel like everybody’s beatable. It all comes down to one or two plays a game.

“Florida State’s an explosive team. We stop the big plays, the game will be closer than most people think.”

The Seminoles’ defense has had its issues, also.

Florida State has allowed 25.3 points per game, and 29.7 against FBS teams, to rank No. 66 in the country. Last week they missed more than 30 tackles, which Fisher said was the most since he’s been in Tallahassee. FSU led the nation and set a school record with 26 interceptions in 2013, but have just one thus far.

Those opportunities should be there against Demon Deacons freshman quarterback John Wolford, who has thrown 10 interceptions and six touchdowns.

“We respect them as a defense,” Wake Forest receiver E.J. Scott said. “They definitely have some good players but … we watched the N.C. State tape … and we saw what happened out there. There’s big plays happening all over the place.

“We look at that and just try to know we’ll have a chance to make big plays as well.”

Things haven’t come easy, but Fisher said there’s a positive side to that. The 2013 team may have been dominant in all three phases, but the 2014 version has carved a different identity.

“Great competitors. Don’t flinch. Like the moment,” Fisher said. “We’re not going away. We’re not going to go away.”

Receiver Jesus “Bobo” Wilson echoed those sentiments and said, “We know we’re going to win. That’s what I like about our team.” Fisher hopes the development of Wilson and young players on both sides of the ball will help eliminate the wild swings in production.

First-year Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson knows the enormity of the challenge his team faces, even if the Seminoles have looked vulnerable for prolonged stretches. The Demon Deacons only have seven senior starters and are the only FBS team starting freshmen at both quarterback and center. They’ve been held to negative yards rushing in three of five games and the program has lost nine consecutive games to Top 25 teams.

And Florida State is hungry for those perfect 60 minutes.

“We’re going to have to play extremely well and play our best football game to be competitive,” Clawson said. “At times we’re overmatched and we’ll have some tough match-ups this week across the board. But all you can do is compete like crazy and prepare the very best you can.

“It’ll be a great measuring stick game for us.”

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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