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Presto’s Picks: Week 4

By David Preston

WASHINGTON — This week’s major college football storyline wasn’t about which conference was best (the Pac-12 taking a major hit) or even about which 3-0 team was fool’s gold (my money’s on NC State), but on the top-ranked and defending national champion’s reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. And for all of the wrong reasons.

Jameis Winston’s time in Tallahassee has not transpired without incident, from stealing crab legs to being accused of sexual assault. This week, the 20-year- old shouted obscenities of a sexual nature while standing atop a table in a student union building. The school stepped in and rightfully suspended the redshirt-sophomore…for the first half of Saturday’s game with Clemson. Late Friday night, they amended the suspension to a full game.

Way to send a message, Seminoles.

This makes one look even more forward to December’s Heisman Trophy presentation, where one hears how great these kids are on and off the field. Somewhere, the script was lost after John Capelletti dedicating his Heisman to his Leukemia-stricken brother during his speech. Winston finds himself in the fine company of men not as much “of character” but who “are characters.” Johnny Manziel sold his autograph for cash. Cam Newton’s parents reportedly sold their son’s services to the highest bidder. Reggie Bush (since vacated) got the “full family treatment” by a USC booster. At one time we used to wonder if the Heisman winner would pan out in the pros. Now one just hopes they leave college without incident. Herschel Walker, where have you gone?

Maryland visits Syracuse Head coach Randy Edsall returns to his alma mater (class of 1980), but more importantly his team tries to fix what went wrong in a loss to West Virginia. That means consistency on offense and better secondary play on defense. CJ Brown was held to 5 yards rushing and was intercepted twice last year in a loss at Byrd and the senior has yet to fully regain the mojo he had last September. The Orange boast a pair of running backs with three names: Adonis Ameen-Moore and Prince-Tyson Gulley. Both boast breakaway speed and the necessary hyphens (backup George Morris II has tried to get his “II” counted as a name; NCAA ruling is pending). The pass defense has to watch out for the short stuff — Terrel Hunt averages less than 10 yards per completion this fall. Another factor: heat inside a domed stadium that isn’t air-conditioned yet sponsored by Carrier.

Terrapins triumph, 24-20.

Virginia Tech tangles with Georgia Tech

Now that the September Stagger (it took a while to put away William & Mary), September Shocker (freshman QB or not, Ohio State in Columbus?) and September Stumble (ECU spells upset) is in their rear-view mirror, VT can focus on the ACC season. Defending the Yellow Jackets begins with containing an option offense that’s second to Navy in effectiveness. While the Hokies are allowing only 86 yards a game rushing, this is a different animal. But GT has looked shaky in wins over Tulane, Wofford and — wait for it — Georgia Southern. When a victory over the Green Wave is your signature moment, it’s been a soft September. The Yellow Jackets gave up 38 points to instate foe Georgia Southern. Michael Brewer, please stop licking your chops.

Hokies bounce back, 31-21.

Virginia battles #21 BYU

One year after the lightning-interrupted upset of the Cougars, UVA heads west to face a team that’s made a name for itself with an early rout of Texas, but struggled to beat Houston. The Cavaliers held Taysom Hill to 13-of-40 passing last year, but so far this September the junior has thrown for four touchdowns while running for six more scores. He’s also completing 68 percent of his passes and averaging 119 yards-per-game rushing. He’s the kind of run-pass combination Coach Mike London can only get when he plays both Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns

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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