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Florida trying to extend streak against Kentucky

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has a lopsided victory in the books and a measuring-stick matchup on the horizon.

So playing Kentucky could be a trap game for the Gators.

Florida (1-0) has won 27 in a row against the Wildcats, the longest active streak in an uninterrupted series in major college football. The Gators haven’t lost to Kentucky since 1986 and haven’t dropped a home game in the series since 1979.

Since no current Florida player has experienced losing to Kentucky — not even during last season’s 4-8 debacle — the Gators seemingly have reason to overlook the Wildcats heading into Saturday night’s Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Throw in that Florida might still be basking in last week’s 65-0 drubbing of Eastern Michigan and has a road trip to Alabama up next, and it might be the perfect time for Kentucky (2-0) to pull a shocker.

The Gators insist it won’t happen.

Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp may have helped keep the Gators focused.

Kemp predicted a victory in The Swamp,” telling the Louisville Courier-Journal this week that “it’s going to be fun walking out with a victory and rubbing it in their faces.”

His words quickly made their way to Gainesville, where linebacker Michael Taylor responded on Twitter by posting “oh jo-joooooo” and following up with “what number is this ja ja fool???”

Taylor later told reporters Kemp’s comments provided little extra incentive for the game.

“After the season we had last year, there’s no extra motivation needed,” Taylor said. “This whole summer, hearing all that stuff and seeing the results of last year, no extra motivation is needed.”

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was “outraged” and spoke to Kemp, who grew up in DeLand.

“It’s not very smart to try to challenge their pride before you play them,” said Stoops, who was an assistant coach at Miami and recruited the Sunshine State. “Believe me, I know them. So I don’t think that was very smart. It’s not something that I teach. It’s not how we talk. And really if you listen to his whole conversation he was quite humble and really handled himself the right way until the end.

“But again, that’s just not very smart on our part and we’ll get that fixed.”

___

Here are some things to what for when Florida hosts Kentucky on Saturday:

LOSING STREAK: Kentucky isn’t the only team with a losing streak in this game. Florida has dropped five in a row in SEC play. The Gators won their first three conference games last year before losing the rest in the program’s first losing season since 1979. Florida’s last league win was Oct. 5 against Arkansas. “Just getting a win again to start fresh, we’re ready now,” defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. said. “It just makes us even more hungrier to get another ‘W.'”

VERSATILE TOWLES: Kentucky sophomore QB Patrick Towles has completed 61 percent of his passes for 547 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions, through two games. He also has rushed 25 times for 89 yards, including 22 carries last week against Ohio. While Towles’ footwork has helped the offense, Stoops doesn’t want his QB having a run-first mentality, especially against Florida. “I’m not sure that will be a good idea,” Stoops said. “He can run and will run. But I don’t think any of us are looking for that many (carries) every week.”

OFFENSE SHINES: No doubt, Florida’s offense was impressive in the opener. A few numbers really tell the story: the Gators scored seven offensive touchdowns; they had 25 in 2013. They rolled up 655 yards, more than double what they averaged last season. They managed 17 first downs in the first half; they averaged 17.8 a game in 2013. They ran 86 plays, nearly 20 more than they averaged last year.

O-LINE SHUFFLE: Florida will be without left tackle D.J. Humphries for at least two games because of bone chips in his ankle and a high-ankle sprain. Right tackle Chaz Green will take Humphries’ spot, and Rod Johnson will fill in at right tackle. Green and Johnson should get a tough test from Kentucky’s defensive ends, Alvin Dupree and Za’Darius Smith. “We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Green said.

BURTON BROTHERS: Former Florida quarterback/receiver/tight end Trey Burton scored six touchdowns against Kentucky as a freshman in 2010. His little brother, Clay, would love to find similar success against the Wildcats. Clay Burton caught seven passes for 42 yards in the opener and will continue getting a heavy load following Jake McGee’s season-ending injury.

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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