Skip to main content

No. 8 Baylor gets week off after 3-0 start

By WTOP Staff

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — The No. 8 Baylor Bears can finally slow down.

After opening the season with three lopsided wins in 13 days, capped by a 63-21 win at Buffalo on Friday night, the defending Big 12 champions get two weeks off before opening their conference schedule Sept. 27 at Iowa State.

The Bears (3-0) have key players who could use the week off to heal injuries, but the healthy players aren’t looking forward to the idle time.

“Not really, but it is going to be good for the team,” running back Shock Linwood said. “Got a lot of people bruised up. With a week off, we are going to be able to recover and get ready for Iowa State.”

“I still want to play,” 18-year-old freshman receiver KD Cannon said. “We’ve got to get a week off sooner or later, so might as well get one here.”

Coach Al Briles said the bye week comes at an opportune time, even if some players don’t realize it.

“I guess they thought they were supposed to say that,” Briles said. “We need a week that we can kind of settle down and take care of our bodies and minds and academics and then get ready for a push.”

Quarterback Bryce Petty is still recovering from two cracked bones in his lower back sustained in the season-opening win over Southern Methodist, but was able to return to the field Friday at Buffalo after missing Baylor’s previous win over FCS Northwestern State.

“My back feels good,” Petty said. “Everybody told me this was a three-week injury, so there were a lot of answered prayers.”

The Bears totaled 669 yards and 27 first downs against Buffalo without four of their top receivers. Antwan Goodley (quadriceps), Levi Norwood (wrist), Corey Coleman (hamstring) and Clay Fuller (broken collarbone) all sat out.

Backups Cannon, Jay Lee and Lynx Hawthorne gave the Bears three receivers with more than 100 yards in the same game for just the second time in program history.

“That’s kind of scary, that we had our top four guys out,” Petty said.

Cannon caught six passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, Jay Lee had nine receptions for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and Hawthorne made seven catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

“We knew we signed the best receiving class in America and we’ve got two guys redshirting who are better than people have got on film,” Briles said. “It’s a luxury we’ve got them and because we need them with our top four guys out.”

Lee said the receiving corps will benefit from the week off.

“We get Antwan back, Clay back, Levi back,” he said. “We just need to get in the training room and do what we’ve got to do to get right.”

Even with the injuries, Baylor has outscored its first three opponents 177-27 and averaged 654.3 yards per game.

Running back Shock Linwood said there is “no telling” how good the Bears offense can be with everyone in the lineup.

“It would be unbelievable for all of us to be healthy,” Linwood said. “We’re confident that our offense can score at will.”

Baylor’s defense has also been dominant. The Bears did not allow a touchdown for 10 quarters until Buffalo scored three times in the second half Friday.

“We kind of cheated a day to gain a day, traveling here and playing on a Friday night,” Briles said.

“We he had to go 3-0 in nonconference. We knew we were playing three games in 13 days. We need to put some money in the bank, some gas in the tank, so to speak. Now our goal is to complete the change and get started in the conference.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote