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No. 19 Wildcats get Saturday off as Auburn awaits

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — In Bill Snyder’s perfect world, the notoriously regimented coach would be getting No. 19 Kansas State ready for a Saturday afternoon game against a relatively non-descript opponent.

He sure wouldn’t be getting ready for a Thursday night date with No. 5 Auburn.

Yet forced to play on a day he abhors, against an opponent that he’d rather not deal with, Snyder is forcing himself to look for the positives. The game against the Tigers will be on national TV, a marquee game at home for his program, and there are a few extra days to get ready for it with the Wildcats getting this weekend off.

“It will be here in a heartbeat. There is no doubt about that,” Snyder said. “We have to be awfully careful about not putting things off. It’s our intent to treat this week like it is a game week as much as possible.”

Little hard to do that without a game at the end of it.

In reality, Snyder is basically sliding Kansas State’s normal game-week schedule back a few days, turning Saturday into what would typically be Monday. That means the game Thursday night against Auburn will fall on what the team would consider Saturday — proof, perhaps, the wizard of Manhattan really can do anything, including the bending of time.

“It’s the next one on the schedule,” Snyder said simply. “I just haven’t looked at anything beyond that. It would be a waste of time, probably.”

The game was scheduled as part of a home-and-home by former coach Ron Prince, who spent three years at Kansas State while Snyder was briefly retired. The Tigers won the first meeting 23-13 in the 2007 season opener, and it’s taken seven years for the return game to happen.

As for the Thursday night date, well, that’s a whole other story.

Kansas State athletic director John Currie was approached by ESPN executives several years ago about moving the tantalizing early season matchup. Currie balked at first, wary of the challenge that weeknight games pose for the school’s far-flung fan base — not to mention the fact that Snyder has repeatedly expressed his desire to play only on Saturdays.

Eventually, Currie grew to accept the idea. It would turn into a 3-hour infomercial for the program, the school and the town of Manhattan, and the game itself just might shatter attendance records at the recently renovated stadium that bears Snyder’s name.

Meanwhile, it would give the Kansas State players a game in which to shine.

“Of course, everybody on the team is looking forward to that game,” wide receiver Tyler Lockett said. “We understand we have a great opportunity when we play Auburn.”

That doesn’t mean the Wildcats have been caught looking ahead.

Recalling the season-opening flop against North Dakota State last season, the Wildcats easily handled Stephen F. Austin in this year’s season opener. Then, faced with the unenviable task of playing on the road in the Big 12 in Week 2, Kansas State calmly marched 80 yards in the final minutes for a 32-28 win at Iowa State and an early lead in the conference race.

“You have a coach that preaches it every single day, every other word — one day at a time, one day at a time,” quarterback Jake Waters said. “So I’m just worried about the next practice, the next meeting. But with a team like Auburn, that’s the kind of game you live for.”

The Tigers are also off this week after blowout wins over Arkansas and San Jose State, so their trip to Kansas State will also be gut-check time for a team with national title aspirations.

“We are playing a very good team on the road,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said this week, “with one of the better coaches that has ever walked the planet.”

Nothing to worry about there, right?

The last time a non-conference team as highly ranked as Auburn visited the Little Apple was 1969, when No. 2 Penn State eked out a 17-14 victory. And if the ramifications of that are lost on Snyder, just point out the “Roll Snyd” T-shirts that enterprising fans are selling online.

“People have been in our ears saying, ‘Oh, you guys are going to play Auburn, you guys are going to play Auburn,'” defensive back Morgan Burns said. “It kind of feels good that we can finally give into it and start preparing for Auburn.”

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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