Skip to main content

No. 19 Badgers prepare for up-tempo Bowling Green

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s defense is preparing for the football equivalent of a track meet.

Bowling Green rolls into Madison this weekend fresh off a win over Indiana — the 19th-ranked Badgers’ Big Ten brethren — in which the Falcons ran a dizzying 113 plays to victory.

Coach Gary Andersen wants his team to set the tone early and extinguish any flickering hopes of an upset Saturday for the Mid-American Conference program.

“I kind of look at it like you feel when you get ready to play the option,” Andersen said. “The first drive is so important in games like this to feel the tempo and understand.”

This should not be much of a problem for Wisconsin (1-1) at home in Camp Randall Stadium. Bowling Green coach Dino Babers recognizes the enormity of his team’s challenge.

“These guys are good, really good. Wisconsin most likely is better than Indiana,” Babers said. “I hope we can stay close to them.”

Some things to watch as Wisconsin tries to win its 31st straight nonconference home game:

KEEPING PACE: If pace is important, the Badgers have just the running back who can play keep-away while threatening to break a long run at any time.

What should also be worrisome to Bowling Green (2-1) is that Melvin Gordon might be looking for a breakout game to ease concerns about the Wisconsin running game. The star tailback was held to 38 yards on 17 carries two weekends ago against a Western Illinois defense that brought up extra defenders to slow down the run. Indiana’s Tevin Coleman shredded Bowling Green for 190 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Imagine what a motivated Gordon might do in front of his home fans.

“I’m sure a lot of defenses come out and say, ‘If we stop Melvin Gordon, it’ll give us a shot to win the game,” right tackle Rob Havenstein said. “Then we’ve got to say, ‘OK, we’ve got to get Melvin going.’ That starts with us up front … If Melvin has a big day, we usually have a big day.”

BUILDING BALANCE: The best way for Wisconsin to loosen things up close to the line of scrimmage is to get consistency in the passing game. Quarterback Tanner McEvoy had a bye week to build on the success he had against Western Illinois, when he threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said McEvoy used the bye week to work on fundamentals to build consistency. Three weeks ago, for instance, McEvoy made bad throws off his bad foot, an issue that seemed to disappear against Western Illinois.

“So just looking to carry over some of his practice habits into games,” Ludwig said.

GETTING OVER IT: The win over Indiana gave Bowling Green its first win over a Power Five team since defeating Pittsburgh in 2008. It was also the first victory against a Big Ten school since beating Minnesota in 2007. The Falcons celebrated last weekend. But Babers wasn’t happy with how sharp his players were when they started practice this week. He was looking to get the Falcons refocused.

“It carried over to practice, but it needs to be something that’s more or less put aside,” tight end Chris Pohlman said. “We’re not thinking we can get an automatic win based on something that happened last weekend.”

GETTING PUSHY: The Badgers are known for behemoth offensive lines. But members of the front five took it personally when Wisconsin struggled against the run against Western Illinois, even if the defense was focused on shutting down Gordon.

Guard Dallas Lewallen said the line also focused on fundamentals work during the off week, including technique, footwork and hand placement. He said the line was looking to get more consistent in picking up different looks and pressures.

“We expect our run game back on track,” Andersen said. “Is it a mindset and want-to for all of us involved to run better than we did a couple weeks ago? Yes.”

AIRING IT OUT: Bowling Green quarterback James Knapke set school records with 46 completions on 73 attempts against Indiana, throwing for 395 yards and three touchdowns. He might not have the same success playing in front of Wisconsin’s loud fans, though it could be fun watching Bowling Green trying to push the tempo on the Badgers.

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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