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No. 14 Mississippi tops Louisiana-Lafayette 56-15

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Bo Wallace’s first throw was perfect — a 25-yard strike that Vince Sanders caught in stride for a big gain.

Mississippi’s senior quarterback was just getting started, completing pass after pass for big chunks of yards and two touchdowns. By early in the second quarter, he was well aware he was throwing football’s version of a perfect game.

“I knew it,” Wallace said. “I didn’t want to throw an incompletion.”

He finally did. His 15th attempt of the game down the middle of the field was just out of the reach of Derrick Jones, but the 14th-ranked Rebels were already well on their way to a 56-15 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.

Wallace completed 23 of 28 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Sanders, as the Rebels rolled up 554 total yards and an easy victory.

“I’m really happy we went out and took control of the game and kept control of it,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said.

Ole Miss (3-0) has never lost to Louisiana-Lafayette (1-2) and this one wasn’t in doubt for very long. I’Tavius Mathers rushed for a 56-yard touchdown on the first drive and the Rebels pushed out to a 28-0 lead by midway through the second quarter.

Senquez Golson intercepted two passes, including one that was returned 59 yards for a touchdown.

Louisiana-Lafayette fell behind 49-6 by midway through the third quarter before scoring its only touchdown. Terrance Broadway completed 15 of 30 passes for 129 yards and three interceptions.

It was another effective performance for Wallace, who now ranks second in Ole Miss history with 49 career passing touchdowns.

He was flawless for much of the first half, completing 20 of 24 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns as Ole Miss built a four-touchdown lead.

“I’m playing how I expect to play,” Wallace said. “Now I just have to continue to execute each week.”

The only real blemish came just before halftime when Wallace threw an interception. The Ragin’ Cajuns were able to convert the turnover into a short field goal and pull within 28-6 by halftime.

Ole Miss quickly re-established momentum early in the third quarter when Mike Hilton intercepted a ULL pass after it was tipped by Cody Prewitt. The Rebels drove downfield and made it 35-6 on Cody Core’s acrobatic 14-yard touchdown catch.

Ole Miss had a solid defensive day with three interceptions. The Rebels have only given up two touchdowns over three games this season.

The only issue was another inconsistent performance for the running game.

Mathers’ 56-yard run on the game’s opening drive was a bright spot. So was Jaylen Walton’s 71-yard touchdown when the game was already in hand during the second half. But in between the Rebels relied on Wallace because the running plays went nowhere.

They will have plenty of time to work on the issues, with a bye weekend before a home game against Memphis on Sept. 27. If everything goes as planned, Ole Miss will then host Alabama on Oct. 4 in an SEC Western Division showdown.

“There are some things we did not do particularly well today that we have to get cleaned up,” Freeze said. “Even though you may be the better football team on a given day, you still have to execute and do the things that will make you one of the top tier teams in the country.”

Louisiana-Lafayette was picked to win the Sun Belt Conference this year in a preseason poll by the league’s coaches, but it’s been a rough two weeks.

The Ragin’ Cajuns lost 48-20 last week to Louisiana Tech on their home field and weren’t competitive against the Rebels. They didn’t score a touchdown until late in the third quarter when Alonzo Harris rushed for an 8-yard score.

Elijah McGuire led Louisiana-Lafayette with 66 rushing yards. Trae Johnson had a game-high 11 tackles.

But it wasn’t nearly enough to stop the Rebels.

“Our football team right now is not clicking on all cylinders, but that’s part of football and a part of life,” Louisiana-Lafayette coach Mark Hudspeth said. “Our coaches have to figure that out.”

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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