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No. 6 Georgia-No. 24 S. Carolina only Top 25 game

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

Sixth-ranked Georgia can stamp itself the favorite in the SEC East when it visits No. 24 South Carolina on Saturday in this week’s only Top 25 matchup.

Meanwhile, UCLA fans want to know if the real Bruins will stand up. Oklahoma will try for another win against the SEC, the conference Bob Stoops loves to poke. And Arkansas visits Texas Tech for the first time since 1991, when they were members of the old Southwest Conference.

Here are some things to know before college football’s third weekend kicks off.

BEAST OF SEC EAST: Georgia (2-0) is getting a lot of love lately. South Carolina (1-1), not so much.

The Bulldogs throttled Clemson in their opener and zoomed from No. 12 to No. 6 in the rankings. They had last week off to prepare for their SEC opener against a South Carolina team that’s been one of the season’s early disappointments.

The Gamecocks came into 2014 as East favorites. That was before they were humiliated at home by Texas A&M and survived a close game against East Carolina last week.

Georgia has lost three of the last four times it visited Columbia. A win is in store this time if Heisman Trophy candidate Todd Gurley and first-year starting QB Hutson Mason do what they’re capable of against the Gamecocks’ new 3-4 defense that ranks 123rd out of 127 FBS teams.

SEEKING AN IDENTITY: Before the season UCLA-Texas was regarded as one of the red-letter non-conference matchups. The No. 12 Bruins are 2-0 but are yet to play a complete game and look vulnerable. Between suspensions and an injury to quarterback David Ash, Texas is 1-1 and trending downward after a second straight embarrassing loss to BYU.

UCLA goes into the game in Arlington, Texas, looking for its offense and defense to play well on the same day.

For the Longhorns, a second straight blowout loss would be devastating. Things in Austin were so bad after the 41-7 loss to BYU that some wisecracker made a YouTube video (http://bit.ly/1rI2GNz ) with Sesame Street character Grover narrating all the ways QB Taysom Hill went around, over, under and through the Texas defense.

ANOTHER BIG GAME FOR BOB: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is 12-0 at home against current teams from the SEC, not to mention 23-7 overall after his Sooners beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Never mind that No. 4 OU (2-0) will be a three-touchdown favorite when Tennessee (2-0) shows up in Norman. This might not be a vintage Volunteers team, but it’s still one of the weekend’s intriguing games. These two big-name programs haven’t met since 1968. And don’t forget Stoops’ penchant for taking shots at the SEC’s sense of superiority whenever he can.

SWC FLASHBACK: Arkansas (1-1) built some confidence with its record-smashing offensive production against FCS Nicholls State. Now it’s back to reality against Texas Tech (2-0).

The Razorbacks, who have lost seven straight road games since 2012, must limit possession time for Davis Webb and Texas Tech’s fast-moving offense. They have the running backs to do it, with Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins among the top six SEC rushers.

The Red Raiders are 59-6 at home against unranked opponents since 2000, and they haven’t lost a nonconference game at home since 2002.

ODDS AND ENDS: ESPN’s “College Game Day” is visiting Fargo, North Dakota, for the second straight year this week. With no obvious marquee matchup in the FBS ranks, ESPN decided to re-visit the Bison, the three-time FCS defending champions and winners of 26 straight. The opponent is Division I newcomer Incarnate Word. … The Big 12, for the first time, will face seven teams from the four other power five conferences in the same week. Those seven opponents have a combined 13-1 record. … The Pac-12 is 15-0 in nonconference games. … Virginia Tech’s win at Ohio State highlighted a day that saw the ACC go 11-0 in nonconference 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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