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Florida State suspends Winston for entire game

By WTOP Staff

KAREEM COPELAND
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Top-ranked Florida State will face Clemson without Jameis Winston — for the entire game and not just the first half.

Florida State interim President Garnett S. Stokes and athletic director Stan Wilcox said late Friday night that the star quarterback will be suspended for the entire game Saturday.

The Heisman Trophy winner was originally suspended for the first half after making “offensive and vulgar” comments about female anatomy on campus Tuesday.

“Based upon the results of our continuing investigation of Tuesday’s incident involving Jameis Winston, we have decided to not play him for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday night,” the school said in a statement.

Redshirt sophomore Sean Maguire will make his first college start.

Coach Jimbo Fisher has said the offense won’t change with the strong-armed Maguire, but he has only thrown 26 passes for the Seminoles.

“You’re not the second-team guy at Florida State if you’re not a really good player,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Obviously, we don’t have a ton of film on him, but he’s a guy they recruited to be a great player.”

The No. 22 Tigers start a more traditional quarterback in senior Cole Stoudt. Freshman Deshaun Watson will also see snaps after being ranked by multiple recruiting sites as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the country.

Stoudt has thrown for 446 yards, one touchdown and one interception with a 63.3 completion percentage. Watson has thrown for 213 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions with a 76.9 completion percentage.

The Tigers will run their hurry-up offense and emphasize tempo regardless of who’s in the game.

“One is more of a decision-maker, he’s not going to throw into tight coverage, he’s not going to take the sack,” Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. said. “The other one will force it. He’s not scared to take chances. You just have to know who’s back there and what to expect.

“You’d like to take the guy that takes more risk and can turn the ball over … but it really doesn’t matter which one they put out there.”

The winner of the game has played in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship the last five years.

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Some things to watch for Saturday:

RUN, RUN, RUN: The Seminoles would love to come out and lean on an offensive line with five senior starters and their senior running back. That’s the easiest way to take the pressure off Maguire. Starter Karlos Williams hasn’t had a breakout game, but backup Mario Pender has been a nice complement and freshman Dalvin Cook had a strong game against The Citadel. The backs have also been involved in pass game, which could give Maguire some short, easy completions.

REPEATING HISTORY: Stoudt hopes things play out as they have the last time a one-and-done senior quarterback led the Tigers into Tallahassee. Clemson’s last victory at Doak Campbell Stadium came in 2006 when Will Proctor, a senior who had backed up Charlie Whitehurst during his time with the Tigers, fueled a 27-20 victory over the Seminoles. Proctor was the pick to start by then coach Tommy Bowden while some fans called for young sophomore Cullen Harper to play.

PLAYING YOUNG: Don’t look for Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris to fill the lineup with youngsters at Florida State. Tiger freshmen made a big impact in their last game, a 73-7 victory over FCS opponent South Carolina State two weeks ago. Artavis Scott was the ACC receiver of the week and redshirt freshman Wayne Gallman led Clemson rushers with 77 yards. Watson was 8-of-9 passing for 154 yards and three TDs. Despite the production, Morris knows how difficult it is dropping young players into an environment like Florida State.

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AP Sports Writer Peter Iacobelli in Clemson, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

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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