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No. 8 Baylor presents daunting test for Buffalo

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — It makes no difference to University at Buffalo football coach Jeff Quinn if Baylor elects to rest its banged-up offensive starters for one more week.

The eighth-ranked Bears’ backups are a handful, too.

“After watching their game last week, they just have other guys ready to go,” said Quinn, whose Mid-American Conference Bulls (1-1) prepare to host the defending Big 12 champion Bears (2-0) on Friday night. “They have a system, and they run it no matter who’s leading it out on the field.”

Northwestern State found that out last weekend, when the FCS team’s defense withered in the face of a Baylor backup-led onslaught. Quarterback Seth Russell, filling in for injured senior starter Bryce Petty, threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns in the first half en route to a 73-6 win.

“They have,” Quinn said, understatedly, “a lot of speed.”

And depth.

Coach Art Briles has so much starting-caliber talent that he prefers to avoid making first- and second-team designations.

“We’ve got a bunch of players,” Briles said. “You can only play so many at certain times.”

Petty is expected to play Friday, but it’s unclear for how long. He’s been out since cracking two small bones in his back during a season-opening 45-0 win against SMU.

Baylor will be without senior receivers Levi Norwood (wrist) and Clay Fuller (broken collarbone), while Antwan Goodley (quadriceps) is listed at 50-50. Their presence wasn’t missed last weekend in a game the Bears racked up 720 yards offense, 455 yards passing, and freshman KD Cannon finishing with six catches for 223 yards and three scores.

The Bears will face a Bulls defense that has been torched for a combined 75 points and 839 yards already.

“We’re building our self-confidence,” said Quinn, coming off 47-39 loss at Army. “It’s very important that they understand about not thinking what can go wrong, but always thinking about what can go right.”

Here are a number of things to watch out for:

BUSY STRETCH: Baylor closes a tough stretch by playing its third game in 13 days before getting a weekend off.

“It’s not like all of a sudden we woke up and said, ‘Oh, we’ve got a game Friday,'” Briles said. “We tried to kind of gear our guys where we’ll be able to be as fresh as possible Friday night.”

After Buffalo, the Bears are off until opening their conference schedule at Iowa State on Sept. 27.

GONE IN 60 SECONDS: The Bears up-tempo attack is so fast that Baylor already has seven touchdown drives that have lasted less than a minute. They also don’t waste time between whistles by getting the next snap off in under 20 seconds.

Quinn has been preparing Bulls defenders in practice by having his offense snap the ball every 15 seconds. He also has receivers jumping the snap to simulate Baylor’s speed.

BAD MEMORIES: Bulls quarterback Joe Licata is still stung by memories of Buffalo’s 70-13 loss at Baylor last season. It was a game in which he was sacked and lost a fumble which was returned 91 yards for a touchdown.

“We left a lot of points out on the field,” Licata said.

Worse still, the junior quarterback is unhappy with his performance against Army last weekend. Despite finishing with 401 yards passing and school record five TDs, Licata is upset by the three interceptions he threw that put the Bulls into an early hole.

“I can’t be turning the ball over in one game. I shouldn’t turn the ball over three times in a season,” he said. “It won’t happen again.”

NO MACK: Buffalo’s defense is still attempting to find its hard-hitting identity after losing several senior starters to graduation. The key loss was senior linebacker Khalil Mack, who was selected with the fifth pick by Oakland in the NFL draft.

NUMBERS BEAR OUT: Baylor’s running attack is no slouch. The Bears are averaging 263 yards rushing. Their defense is stingy, too, having not allowed a touchdown. Baylor hasn’t been shut out in 89 games, matching the school’s longest streak set from Dec. 31, 1979 to Oct. 23, 1987. They’ve scored 40-plus points in 27 of their past 34 games.

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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