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Fresno State faces Nebraska in home opener

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

Nine months after celebrating a Mountain West championship in their final home game of 2013, Fresno State returns to Bulldog Stadium with little to feel good about.

The post-Derek Carr era has gotten off to a rough start with lopsided road losses to powerhouse Southern California and fellow Pac-12 team Utah. Things don’t figure to get much easier in the home opener Saturday night when the Bulldogs (0-2) host another national power in Nebraska (2-0).

“You get punched in the nose twice, you have to respond,” Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter said. “Last year, we didn’t have a whole lot of adversity.”

The Bulldogs have allowed the most points in the nation through two weeks (111), having lost 52-13 to USC and 59-27 to Utah.

The Cornhuskers faced their own kind of test last week when McNeese State of the lower-division FCS played Nebraska to a tie until the final minute of a 31-24 loss.

That dropped Nebraska from No. 19 in the Associated Press poll to unranked. Since the AP poll expanded to 25 teams in 1989, no team ranked as high had ever dropped out after a win.

“I think our guys will respond very well,” coach Bo Pelini said. “I’m not worried about what’s happened to Fresno, what their record is or how they’ve played. Our challenge is to play and execute at a high level. Our focus is on us. On the way we’ll get ready for Fresno.”

Here are some things to watch when the Bulldogs host the Cornhuskers:

QB SHUFFLE: After three straight years of stellar quarterback play from Carr, the Bulldogs are struggling to find a signal caller this season. Brian Burrell and Duke transfer Brandon Connette have shared the duties with little success, combining to complete 55 percent of their passes with four interceptions and three touchdowns. DeRuyter said he will evaluate the quarterbacks again this week and decide whether Burrell will remain the starter.

“We’re not down on Brian but clearly he has to play better and lead our offense better,” he said. “We have to start the game better than we did the past two weeks.”

POTENT PASSING: Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. has been an inconsistent thrower so far, completing just 51.7 percent of his passes against Florida Atlanta and McNeese State. Facing Fresno State’s pass defense could improve those numbers. The Bulldogs have allowed the third most yards per attempt (10.18) in the nation and have given up 10 TD passes with no interceptions.

“We need to execute to put points on the board,” Armstrong said. “It’s going to be a long trip back if we don’t play how we’re supposed to play. We are on a mission.”

ABSENT ABDULLAH: Nebraska star running back Ameer Abdullah went missing for much of the second half of last week’s win against McNeese State. He had 17 carries for 54 yards and touched the ball just once in the fourth quarter before his electrifying 58-yard catch and run that provided the winning score with 20 seconds left.

“At the end of the day, he’s our best football player,” Pelini said. “We have to make sure to get the ball in his hands.”

HOME COOKING: The Bulldogs are 13-0 at home in two seasons under DeRuyter, the longest home winning streak in the nation. But Nebraska will be by far their toughest opponent in that span.

“It’s going to be a pretty crazy environment out there and they’ll be pretty hyped up,” Pelini said. “But we’ve got pretty good success on the road. I think our guys will respond very well.”

GREGORY THE GREAT: Nebraska should get a big boost defensively this week with the return of star defensive end Randy Gregory. The Big Ten leader in sacks last season left the opener against Florida Atlantic after the first defensive series and sat out last week after getting scar tissue removed from his knee.

___

AP Sports Writer Eric Olson in Lincoln, Nebraska, contributed to this report

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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