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Revenge? Maybe a little. But BYU just wants to win

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill hinted that maybe there’s a little bit of revenge at play when the Cougars host Virginia. Mostly, BYU just wants to keep winning.

The Cougars are 3-0 and at No. 21 in the rankings, with the Cavaliers (2-1) up next on Saturday.

The two teams met last year in a stormy — literally and figuratively — season opener.

Kevin Parks ran 13 yards for a touchdown with 2:36 left after a tipped ball led to an interception, a lateral and 33-yard return, and Virginia came away with a 19-16 victory. The game also featured a two-hour lightning delay between the first and second quarters.

Hill laughed when asked if he wanted “payback” against the Cavaliers.

“I’m very excited about that football game. I don’t know if you want to say revenge or whatever, but I’m very excited to play Virginia again,” he said. “I’ve watched them on tape and some of their games on TV, and they’re a good defense, a good football team. So they will be a good challenge for us.”

The Cougars are coming off a 35-25 victory over Houston in their home opener last week. Hill ran for 160 yards with one score and threw for 200 yards and another, while Jamaal Williams rushed for 139 yards and two TDs.

As a result of the victory, BYU jumped to No. 21 in the AP Top 25, extending its first appearance in the rankings since 2012. The ranking, along with Hill’s ever-increasing profile, has raised expectations for the Cougars.

“I like being in that position, it’s great exposure and we’ve earned it through the first three weeks of this season and really over the last 10 years,” BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “That can change as we go through the season, but we’re anxious to play Virginia and we’ll go from that.”

Virginia is coming off its first win over a Top-25 opponent in three seasons, a 23-21 victory over then-No. 21 Louisville last Saturday in Charlottesville.

Louisville’s fumble on its own 25 was recovered by Virginia’s Kelvin Rainey, and four plays later, Ian Frye’s 42-yard field goal gave the Cavaliers the winning margin.

Here are some other things to consider when Virginia visits BYU on Saturday:

LATE CALL: Virginia linebacker Henry Coley gave coach Mike London a call late Saturday night after the victory over Louisville. Coley wanted his coach’s blessing for a team-only meeting to remind the Cavaliers that one win does not make a season. “Unusual after a win, a big win, but the captains always have the opportunity to call meetings whenever they feel fit,” London said.

DUAL THREAT: Hill is averaging 118.7 yards rushing per game, most among FBS-level quarterbacks. The junior signal-caller has run for six touchdowns and thrown for four more overall this year. He has been named offensive player of the week for the independents for all three weeks of the season.

HILL’S VIRGINIA COUNTERPART: Sophomore QB Greyson Lambert threw for a touchdown and ran for another in Virginia’s win over Louisville. The 6-foot-5 QB has started all three games for the Cavaliers even though he had a rocky debut against UCLA.

SPEAKING OF QUARTERBACKS: BYU announced this week that it will retire the No. 9 jersey of former BYU and NFL quarterback Jim McMahon in a halftime ceremony at the home game against Utah State on Oct. 3. McMahon will be inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame a day earlier.

HEADING WEST: Virginia leads the all-time series against BYU 3-1. The Cavaliers haven’t been to Provo since 1999, when they came away with a 45-40 victory. The trip is just the team’s 17th overall west of the Mississippi. The trek to Provo is the fourth-longest that Virginia has made. The Oahu Bowl in 2000 was the longest.

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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