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Parting shot: Notre Dame pounds Michigan, 31-0

By WTOP Staff

RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Everett Golson and Notre Dame said so long to Michigan with a devastating parting shot. When it was over, the Fighting Irish celebrated their most lopsided victory in the history of the series — and the only thing playing in the stadium was the alma mater and the fight song by the band.

Golson threw three touchdown passes and No. 16 Notre Dame beat the Wolverines 31-0 Saturday night, snapping Michigan’s NCAA record streak of games without being shut out at 365 before the rivalry goes into hiatus.

Coach Brian Kelly tried to downplay the win a little.

“It counts as one,” he said, before adding: “I’d be lying if I told you that it didn’t feel great to shut out Michigan, 31-to-nothing,” stressing the 31.

Game No. 42 in a rivalry that has been off-and-on for more than 100 years is the last scheduled. Notre Dame broke off the series to accommodate its new scheduling arrangement with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Michigan didn’t take it well.

Coach Brady Hoke jokingly accused the Fighting Irish of chickening out before last year’s game at Ann Arbor. Then after Michigan beat the Irish, “The Chicken Dance” blared through the sound system at the Big House.

No hard feelings?

“It was great revenge,” Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith said of the Irish fans serenading the Wolverines with “Nah, nah, nah. Hey, hey, hey. Goodbye.”

The previous most lopsided victory for Notre Dame against Michigan as 35-12 in 1943. The last time the Wolverines were shut out was 26-0 by Iowa on Oct. 20, 1984.

This one will probably sting longer, considering the circumstances.

“We will bounce back,” Hoke said. “This is a very resilient, hard-working group of young men, who know what it takes to win.”

Golson was 23 for 34 for 226 yards.

Devin Gardner was 19 for 32 for 189 yards and committed four second-half turnovers for Michigan.

Maybe it was just a coincidence that this week Notre Dame announced a future home-and-home with Ohio State, Michigan’s hated rival — and a team that has owned the Wolverines in recent years. Still, this is a rivalry that has been generally quite civil in recent years. Two of the bluest of bloods in college football history, they are the winningest programs ever by percentage. They have combined for 1,787 victories. In fact, Michigan had a chance to take back the top spot by beating the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame and Michigan may not love each other, especially these days, but they’ve always seemed to like being associated with one another. Classic uniforms. Recognizable fight songs (they sound a little alike to an untrained ear). They both tout their high academic standards and doing things the right way.

The traditional early season meeting between the Irish and Wolverines has always been a measuring stick.

But things change. Notre Dame now has artificial turf and an interlocking ND logo at midfield. And Michigan has now been shut out for the first time in 30 years.

The golden domes and winged helmets will go their separate ways. Michigan leads the series 24-17-1, but Notre Dame will get to bask in this one for a while.

Kelly came to Notre Dame five years ago, promising to recruit better athletes and install an up-tempo spread offense. Notre Dame went to a national championship game in 2012 on the strength of its defense. Golson was a redshirt freshman starter who Kelly said just “rode the bus” to the BCS title game. He didn’t even finish the 13-6 victory against Michigan that year.

Then Golson watched last season, suspended from school for academic impropriety.

Now, he’s in the driver’s seat and looking like a Heisman contender.

“Yeah, let’s put him up for it,” Kelly said. “Sure. Throw him in there.”

Golson was pinpoint and poised in the first half, leading Notre Dame to a 21-0 lead. As for the Heisman, he said, “Avoid the noise. People are going to talk, that type of thing, whether it’s good or bad. You just have to keep your head.”

Meanwhile, Michigan’s offense, a mess last year, devolved into Gardner trying to make a play under pressure far too often. It didn’t work in 2013 and it had no chance against Smith, Sheldon Day and Notre Dame’s feisty defense.

Michigan lost its 11th straight road game to a ranked team, the last win came in South Bend in 2006, and Hoke fell to 7-12 away from Ann Arbor.

“Maybe we can run into one another in a playoff game,” Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon said of Notre Dame. “That would be great. Or who knows. Things can change over time. But I think for the foreseeable future, we’re going in two different directions.”

It certainly looked that way.

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

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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