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QB Knight, No. 4 Oklahoma set for showdown at WVU

By WTOP Staff

JOHN RABY
AP Sports Writer

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Trevor Knight is ready to find out how Oklahoma handles the start of a long stretch of games away from home.

The sophomore quarterback will lead the fourth-ranked Sooners (3-0) into a hostile environment at West Virginia (2-1) on Saturday night in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

For the Sooners it will be the first of three consecutive games outside the state of Oklahoma. They don’t play at home again until Oct. 18 against Kansas State.

This will be Oklahoma’s second-ever trip to Morgantown.

“Their fans will be rocking,” Knight said. “But it’s important to use some of their crowd’s energy to get you going, to get that momentum going and really just use it. Going on the road is difficult, especially with a team like West Virginia who has been playing great. So we just have to find that energy within ourselves and play for one another and stay even-keeled through it.”

Knight is a big reason Oklahoma has won seven straight dating to last season that includes a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. He’s not the same quarterback the Mountaineers saw a year ago when he threw for 119 yards, had a pair of third-quarter interceptions and was pulled after two more scoreless drives in a 16-7 win.

“You can tell that he’s making a ton of strides to get better,” said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen.

So have the Mountaineers, who have surpassed 600 yards of offense, mostly through the air, in two straight victories — their first winning streak since 2012.

Oklahoma cornerback Zack Sanchez, who has interceptions in every game this season, figures the Sooners will be going at a frenetic pace on defense.

“They do a lot of quick stuff, a lot of quick smoke screens and things of that sort,” he said. “The d-linemen have to get their hands up and deflect passes as much as they can. When they do complete them, we’ve got to rally to them. We’ve got to be quick to the ball.”

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Here are some other things to ponder about the Sooners and Mountaineers:

OKLAHOMA RUNNERS: The Sooners will lean on sophomore Alex Ross and freshman Samaje Perine after leading rusher Keith Ford broke a non-weight bearing bone in his right leg against Tennessee. Ford, who leads the Big 12 with six touchdowns and has a team-high 194 rushing yards, will miss at least one game.

TRY TO KEEP UP: West Virginia is averaging 91 plays and 564 yards on offense per game. Northern Illinois and Western Kentucky are the only Bowl Subdivision teams to run more plays. When the Mountaineers faced Oklahoma in Morgantown in 2012, the teams combined for 1,400 yards of offense.

TRICKETT’S TEST: West Virginia quarterback Clint Trickett will be tested by an Oklahoma defense allowing 11 points per game and 209 passing yards per game. Trickett is completing 75 percent of his throws and is averaging 408 yards per game. Last week he torched Maryland for 511 and four TDs. Trickett, who didn’t play against the Sooners last year, “has really made a big difference in how they’re playing,” said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

WHO CATCHES MORE?: The game features three of the top receivers in the Big 12. West Virginia’s Kevin White is second in the nation with 32 receptions for 460 yards and teammate Mario Alford has 21 grabs for 206 yards. Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard has 17 catches for 335 yards and will go against a West Virginia secondary without cornerback Daryl Worley, who was suspended indefinitely after being charged with battery of a woman at a nightclub. The Mountaineers return Ishmael Banks, who served a three-game suspension imposed by the NCAA for an unspecified academic eligibility issue.

NEW UNIS: Oklahoma is debuting a version of its “Rough Rider” Nike uniforms. Players will wear crimson wood grain helmets, cream-colored jerseys and crimson pants. The jersey fronts have “Oklahoma” instead of the traditional “Sooners.” The helmet has “Boomer” above the facemask.

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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