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High-octane Indiana travels to No. 18 Missouri

By WTOP Staff

JAKE KREINBERG
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Gary Pinkel says his team is prepared to face Indiana’s high-powered offense.

“I think you just have to control them the best you can,” the Missouri coach said. “I think you have to make sure you contain the great skill that they have. You’re not going to stop them.”

The 18th-ranked Tigers (3-0) host the Hoosiers (1-1) on Saturday before starting an eight-game stretch against Southeastern Conference opponents. Indiana is averaging 574 total yards and running back Tevin Coleman leads the country with 218.5 rushing yards per game.

The matchup presents a different kind of test for Missouri compared to last week against Central Florida, which held the ball for 35 minutes and huddled up often before plays – something seen increasingly less by defensive coordinator Dave Steckel said.

“Is that what that was called?” he asked sarcastically. “Personally, I think this is the norm for our guys, because we practice against it every day. It’s been a godsend that our offense is a fast-paced offense.”

The Hoosiers prefer not to be known as a one-dimensional team, but lost 45-42 last week at Bowling Green and ranked last in the Big Ten in 2013 in both points allowed (38.8) and yards allowed (527.9).

Coach Kevin Wilson says his defense has improved – at least in practice. He knows the statement means little until his players can prove it against other teams.

“When you’re called upon, you’ve got to step up and make the plays,” he said. “We just need to be relentless, play harder, play more physically, play with more energy, play with our hair on fire.”

Here are some things to know about the matchup between Indiana and Missouri:

TEVIN COLEMAN: The Indiana junior ranks second in the country with 126.8 rushing yards per game since the beginning of last season and scored a career-high three touchdowns at Bowling Green. He has reached the end zone in 11 consecutive games, one short of the school record set by Anthony Thompson in 1988-89. “We need more guys to play like him,” Wilson said.

BATTLE OF THE QBs: Missouri’s Maty Mauk enters the game leading the country with 13 total touchdowns (12 passing, one rushing). He has also thrown three interceptions, averaging one every 25 passing attempts. Last year, he only tossed two in 133 attempts. Indiana’s Nate Sudfeld has completed 71.2 percent of his passes through two games for 458 yards and one touchdown, and has added two more scores on the ground.

MISSOURI’S PRESSURE: Defensive ends Shane Ray and Markus Golden are taking advantage of their starting roles after the departures of Kony Ealy and Michael Sam to the NFL. Ray ranks first nationally with 7.5 tackles for loss while Golden ranks fifth with 6.5. The two have also combined for nine sacks and their pressure helped force Central Florida into committing four second-half turnovers.

PENALTIES: Indiana committed 11 penalties for 128 yards at Bowling Green after committing four for 30 yards in a season-opening 28-10 win against Indiana State. Wilson said his goal wasn’t to eliminate penalties altogether, though, as more aggressive teams often perform better. “If you tell a lineman not to hold, he’s not going to block after a while,” he said. “And if you tell a defensive lineman not to jump offside, he’s not going to jump the (snap).”

TURNOVERS: Missouri owns the country’s longest active takeaway streak at 47 games and rank fourth nationally this season with a plus-two turnover margin per game. Indiana committed a critical fumble in the fourth quarter last week, losing possession at the Bowling Green 12-yard line and subsequently allowing the Falcons to drive 88 yards for a 39-35 lead.

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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