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Presto’s Picks: Week 3

By David Preston

WASHINGTON — I’ve often titled September the “Show Me Month” of college football (October being “Moving Month”, November being “Closing Month” and December being “There are WAY too many Bowl Games Month”). While seasons can end before fall technically arrives (see: Michigan, South Carolina, Texas) the first few games are more about possibilities than limitations. Part of it is the new-season smell, part of it is the semi-cupcake schedule (credit the SEC and Pac-12 for holding conference games between ranked teams early), part of it is we want to see the best in our team — at least until they’re under .500 with a trip to the conference leader coming up.

Maryland meets West Virginia

The Terps have shown us that they can win games pretty (dominating James Madison) as well as ugly (6 turnovers against South Florida). While the offense continues to find itself, the defense has been the early rock, allowing just 3.0 yards per carry, 4.3 yards per pass, and a 33% third down conversion rate. They’ll face a Mountaineer team that didn’t blink against Alabama, guided by a quarterback who’s named to be a gunslinging signal caller — Clint Trickett. The Florida State transfer completes 75% of his passes for 320 yards a game and didn’t even play against the Terps in last year’s 37-0 disaster. Can CJ Brown shake off two less than ideal efforts in a potential shootout with a guy named Clint?

Terps come up short, 34-31.

#17 Virginia Tech vs East Carolina

The Pirates have been problematic recently for the Hokies: a five-point margin last year, a seven-point victory for VT in 2011, and people in Blacksburg are still smarting from the 27-22 loss to ECU in 2008. September staggers (like going to double overtime with Marshall last year) are also never too far away from the conversation at Lane Stadium. Pirates quarterback Shane Carden’s averaging over 300 yards per game. Can the defense contain the first prolific passer they’ll face this year? VT sacked him eight times in last year’s win. They also were held to 53 yards on 34 carries that afternoon. I’d like to see more out of the running game that picked up steam late against William & Mary but was bottled up by Ohio State.

Hokies hang on, 29-20.

Virginia vs #21 Louisville

Maryland’s ACC replacement comes to Charlottesville looking not unlike their predecessor. Red and black in the uniforms, a mascot that tries to appear more threatening than it actually is, and alphabetically Louisville falls right between Georgia Tech and Miami, like the Terps did. But that might be where the similarities end. The Cardinals come to Scott Stadium fresh off scoring 97 points over their first two games, including a 31-13 “Welcome to the ACC” mauling of Miami. UVA Coach Mike London plans to use both quarterbacks Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns depending on his game plan, specific down/distance situations, and Magic 8-Ball answers. One hopes he doesn’t get a run of “Ask again later,” “Cannot predict now,” and “Concentrate and ask again.”

Cavaliers can’t keep pace, 37-14.

Navy at Texas State

Upon further review, this is not North Texas (the team that routed SMU 43-6 and set the resignation of June Jones in motion), thus making seven hours of exhausting research moot. The Bobcats did beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 65-0, which means almost as much as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beating Concordia (Ala.) 31-0 the following week. Keenan Reynolds health is far more important, and the junior QB’s been cleared after an MRI on his knee.

Midshipmen make it happen, 35-17.

Howard handles Morehouse, Georgetown over Marist, James Madison gets by St. Francis, Towson defeats Delaware State, William & Mary wails on Norfolk State, Richmond rips Hampton, Old Dominion defeats Eastern Michigan.

Last Week: 8-2. Overall: 16-4.

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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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