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Mississippi State beats UAB 47-34

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Last week’s Mississippi State’s opener was so good that coach Dan Mullen couldn’t find many reasons to complain.

The second game — even in victory — exposed plenty of warts.

The Bulldogs beat Alabama-Birmingham 47-34 on Saturday in a game full of big offensive plays and even bigger defensive breakdowns. The two teams combined for 1,064 yards — including 548 for the Blazers and 516 for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns while also running for 111 yards and a touchdown. The junior’s big day helped keep the Blazers at arm’s length, even though they threw for passing touchdowns of 88, 81 and 75 yards.

For Mullen, the game was much too interesting, even though the final outcome wasn’t in much doubt throughout the second half. UAB had 435 passing yards.

“To give up over 400-some yards passing is embarrassing,” Mullen said. “That’s not what our program is built on. We will get that fixed.”

The Bulldogs (2-0) have won five straight games dating to last season. Josh Robinson rushed for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown.

UAB (1-1) grabbed a 20-19 lead midway through the second quarter after Ty Long’s 46-yard field goal, but Mississippi State scored the next three touchdowns to take control of the game.

The game was another encouraging sign that UAB — under first-year coach Bill Clark — could be on its way to rapid improvement. The Blazers had a 2-10 record last season but won their opener 48-10 over Troy and kept this one interesting for much of the afternoon.

“We knew we were going to be in for a battle,” Mullen said. “That team that we played — they’re a different looking outfit than they were last year. They showed it.”

UAB’s Jeremiah Briscoe threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He split time under center with Cody Clements, who threw for 167 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

The problem for the Blazers was they couldn’t stop Mississippi State.

“We expect to win, but I’m really proud of them and where we think we can go with this,” Clark said. “You hate it, but sometimes the things you learn the best from are from losses.”

Mississippi State’s relatively difficult day was a 180-degree change from last weekend, when the Bulldogs easily defeated Southern Miss 49-0.

It also exposed some problem areas, including a porous pass defense and a shaky kicking game that included two missed extra points.

Things started well enough for Mississippi State, which scored on its third play after Prescott connected with Robert Johnson for a 68-yard touchdown.

Then the defense chipped in when Preston Smith picked off a pass and rumbled 21 yards for the touchdown. It was the second straight week Smith — a defensive lineman — had an interception and it pushed Mississippi State ahead 13-3 by the end of the first quarter.

But UAB responded with two touchdowns early in the second quarter to take a 17-13 lead. The first was a 2-yard run by Jordan Howard and the other was a stunning 88-yard pass from Briscoe to J.J. Nelson that left the stadium nearly silent.

It was Briscoe’s first career completion.

And it was one of many times the Bulldogs’ secondary — which is supposed to be one of the team’s strengths this year — was burned for a big gain.

“We are always going to be happy we got a win,” Smith said. “But that is embarrassing because that is not the type of football we play at Mississippi State. We know guys are more capable of locking down receivers on the deep ball.”

Mississippi State scored the first two touchdowns of the second half — one on a 4-yard run by Prescott and the other on a 15-yard pass from Prescott to Joe Morrow — for a comfortable 40-20 lead that was never seriously challenged.

Prescott, who completed 12 of 25 passes, became the first quarterback at Mississippi State to throw for four touchdowns and run for at least 100 yards in the same game.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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