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No. 15 Mississippi routs Vanderbilt 41-3

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — With the exception of that first half against Boise State, Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze is very happy with how his Rebels have started this season.

Bo Wallace threw for 320 yards and a touchdown, and 15th-ranked Mississippi routed Vanderbilt 41-3 on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

The Rebels (2-0) have beaten Vanderbilt in Nashville in consecutive seasons after the Commodores had won five of the previous six. The Rebels won in dominating fashion with their largest margin of victory against an SEC opponent since beating Mississippi State 45-0 in 2008.

“I’m excited to get a road SEC win for sure, and I thought our kids played a pretty solid game,” Freeze said. “I thought Bo managed us really well. He made two decisions that he’ll probably look at the film and say, ‘Man, I should’ve done something different.’ But I thought he played really solid.”

Ole Miss scored on seven of its first eight possessions with the shortest drive covering 67 yards, and the Rebels never punted. Jaylen Walton started the scoring with a 20-yard TD, and I’Tavius Mathers and DeVante Kincade also ran for TDs.

Wallace put the Rebels up 20-0 with a 20-yard TD pass to Cody Core, and he was sacked as the first half ended with Ole Miss threatening to score again. Playing an hour north of his hometown in Pulaski, Tennessee, Wallace had 249 yards by halftime, and his day was done after Mathers’ TD with 9:29 left in the third quarter.

“I love playing here,” Wallace said. “It’s fun for me to come up here. At the same time, it’s just a game. More people I know get to see me play in person, but I don’t think there’s any more pressure.”

The Commodores (0-2) still are searching for first-year coach Derek Mason’s inaugural win, but at least got their first offensive points with a field goal. Vanderbilt played 25 freshmen and redshirt freshmen, and Mason promised they’ll be better in two weeks than they were today.

“We’re just fighting through the growing pains of being young,” Mason said.

This was the third game in Nashville for the Rebels since opening the 2013 season at Vanderbilt and their second straight at LP Field, home to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. It was their second road game to open the season, and the Rebels certainly made themselves at home in a crowd of 43,260 in the red and blue seats.

“I’m really pleased at this point that they’ve handled environments that were a little different, that didn’t feel quite like what you feel in some of the stadiums we play in normally,” Freeze said.

Ole Miss outgained Vandy 331-76 in total offense at halftime and finished 547-167. The Rebels also piled up 34 first downs — the most in a game under Freeze.

Cliff Coleman returned an interception 39 yards less than a minute into the second half, and Mathers, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, padded the lead to 34-0 with a 2-yard TD run.

The Commodores have been outscored 78-10 since James Franklin left in January for Penn State.

Vanderbilt didn’t get past midfield against the Rebels until the final couple minutes of the third quarter, and the Commodores had to settle for a field goal after recovering Kincade’s fumble at the Ole Miss 5 in the fourth quarter.

Stephen Rivers started at quarterback after Mason declined to announce a starter after rotating three in an opening loss to Temple.

Rivers was 6-of-25 for 60 yards, and Coleman picked off Rivers’ first pass of the third quarter and ran it back 39 yards for a TD and a 27-0 lead. It was the first career start for Rivers, a transfer from LSU and the younger brother of Philip Rivers of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

“That was my first start, and there were definitely some rookie mistakes,” Rivers said. “I’ve been around a lot of games the past three years, but that was my first start, and there’s definitely things I’m going to learn from.”

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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