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Michigan St girding for Ohio St in Big Ten East

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

Michigan State has played in two of the three Big Ten title games, is the defending Rose Bowl champion and is enjoying the best run in program history with 42 wins in four years.

Yet the Spartans cling to an underdog mentality, the product of being overshadowed historically by Michigan and Ohio State. Coach Mark Dantonio never wants his team to stop playing with that edge.

“Respectability can fly right out the window on us,” he said. “So it’s what we’ve done lately that you’re basically judged on, and we continue to build our future.”

The task gets tougher this year. The Spartans host the Buckeyes in a November night game that could decide the new East Division. Of more immediate concern is a trip to Oregon the first week of September.

That game could loom large in determining whether the Spartans land a spot in the inaugural, four-team College Football Playoff.

“We’re coming with at least a bona fide big game under our belts as we move forward,” Dantonio said. “One way or the other, win or lose, we need to gain experience from that game and be able to push through and into the conference.”

The Big Ten goes from 12 to 14 teams with the additions of Maryland and Rutgers. Another big story line is the debut of new Penn State coach James Franklin.

Ten things to watch in the Big Ten:

SPARTY PARTY: Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi has a track record of rolling out some of the nation’s best units, and don’t expect anything different even though he lost six starters. The offense should keep rolling along, returning 97 percent of its production from a year ago, including QB Connor Cook and RB Jeremy Langford.

BUCKEYE BOUNCEBACK? Ohio State, coming off two straight losses, is a trendy pick to win the East even though Urban Meyer must replace four offensive linemen and QB Braxton Miller is coming off right (throwing) shoulder surgery. The losses of RB Carlos Hyde and backup QB Kenny Guiton shouldn’t be underestimated.

RISING IOWA: The Hawkeyes won four games in 2012, eight in 2013, and more could be in store in 2014. They have experience in QB Jake Rudock, a dependable RB corps and an offensive line featuring NFL prospect Brandon Scherff. Yes, they lost three LBs who combined for almost 1,000 career tackles. But they have the softest schedule in the league, with West opponents Northwestern, Wisconsin and Nebraska coming to Iowa City.

WELCOME ABOARD: Newcomers Maryland and Rutgers will get the full flavor of the Big Ten by playing in the East. With Stefon Diggs and Deon Long, the Terrapins have one of the conference’s most dangerous receiving corps. Rutgers should be competent offensively with new coordinator Ralph Friedgen; the defense could be a problem.

LIONS’ DEN: Penn State’s Franklin has his hands full until NCAA sanctions end in a couple years. His most pressing issue is figuring out how to keep QB Christian Hackenberg upright. The offensive line and receivers are the biggest weaknesses.

MICHIGAN SHUFFLE: Coach Brady Hoke is looking to re-energize his program after a narrow win over Akron and losses in six of the last eight games. He brought in Doug Nussmeier from Alabama to run the offense and gave each of his defensive assistants new positions to coach.

BEST BACKS: Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah (1,690 yards) and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (1,609) are the nation’s top two returning rushers and both are in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

ON WISCONSIN: A year after setting school records for rushing and total offense, the Badgers started practice having to decide between QBs Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy and figure out how to replace prodigious WR Jared Abbrederis. The Badgers also lost six of the defense’s front seven.

LOOKING FOR MOJO: Northwestern, Minnesota, Illinois and Purdue in the West and Indiana in the East are teams looking to move up. Northwestern missed a bowl for the first time since 2007, Minnesota lost three straight after an 8-2 start and Illinois beat Purdue in a pillow fight. If Indiana’s explosive offense can ever get help from the defense, the Hoosiers might make a bowl.

HOT SEATS: Michigan’s Hoke has the program trending downward since going 11-2 in 2011, his first season. Nebraska hasn’t won a conference title since 1999, and fans are antsy after watching Bo Pelini lose no fewer than four games each of his six seasons. Tim Beckman is 6-18 in two years at Illinois, 1-15 in Big Ten games.

___

Predicted order of finish:

EAST — 1. Michigan State; 2. Ohio State; 3. Michigan; 4. Penn State; 5. Maryland; 6. Indiana; 7. Rutgers

WEST — 1. Iowa; 2. Nebraska; 3. Wisconsin; 4. Northwestern; 5. Minnesota; 6. Illinois; 7. Purdue

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Title game winner: Michigan State.

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Online:

AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org

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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