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Vandy looking for upset vs. No. 14 South Carolina

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Steve Spurrier has a chance at his 202nd win as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference when his 14th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks visit Vanderbilt on Saturday night.

Derek Mason just got his first at Vanderbilt, needing a missed 22-yard field goal to start celebrating.

A win in the Gamecocks’ first road game this season would push Spurrier out of a tie with former Georgia coach Vince Dooley and into sole possession of second behind only Paul “Bear” Bryant (292). Yet the old ball coach has been busy trying to keep his Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1) from getting too confident after edging Georgia last week 38-35.

“We’ve got a lot of room for improvement if we’re going to have a chance to have a big year,” Spurrier said. “So hopefully our guys know that. I think they do.”

Mason has had his own hands full at Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1) where he’s played 31 combined freshmen — most in the nation — and 21 first-time starters taking over a program coming off consecutive 9-4 seasons capped by bowl wins. Spurrier has praised Mason as a defensive coach both with the Commodores and at his old job as defensive coordinator at Stanford.

“Those guys are well coached and in position,” Spurrier said of the Commodores. “They don’t make mental mistakes on defense. I haven’t watched their offense that much, but their defense looks tough. It looks like a real good one.”

That’s Spurrier being kind to an SEC opponent. Vanderbilt didn’t score its first offensive touchdown until the second quarter of its third game, and the Commodores had to rally from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Massachusetts 34-31 last week.

Mason said Spurrier now is using a two-back offense this season focused on running over defenses, not that old Fun-n-Gun passing attack. Mason said he appreciates the kind words from Spurrier, a coach he respects but is busy with his own very young team.

“No one really cares about how young you are when they line up against you,” Mason said. “They’re looking to beat you. We have to continue to look at our team and say we’re going to grow and we’re going to make mistakes. But if you make them, make them physical and make them fast and don’t make the same mistakes.”

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Here are some things to watch Saturday night when Vanderbilt hosts No. 14 South Carolina:

GAMECOCKS’ EDGE: South Carolina is going for a sixth straight win in this series and have a 19-4 edge all-time over Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks’ last trip to Nashville came in the 2012 season opener, and they left town with a 17-13 win. Last year, they scored on the first four possessions in Columbia before holding onto a 35-25 win.

BACK TO ROBINETTE: Mason already has played four quarterbacks this season, and now the Vanderbilt coach says Patton Robinette once again is his starter. Robinette was pulled in the opening loss to Temple, and now he’s back after scoring their first offensive touchdown and leading the Commodores to their first win.

THOMPSON’S TIME: Spurrier has changed quarterbacks plenty in his career. But senior Dylan Thompson is 5-1 as a starter in his career and is the only quarterback to play for South Carolina this season. Spurrier said Thompson could throw five interceptions in a game and won’t be pulled this year.

HEALTHIER DAVIS: Spurrier said junior Mike Davis, who ran for 1,183 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, has practiced this week. Davis left the opening loss to Texas A&M with bruised ribs and had 16 carries for 66 yards against Georgia.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Vanderbilt already has two touchdowns on special teams this year. Stephen Weatherly blocked a punt and scored in fourth quarter, and Oren Burks recovered a poor snap on a punt for a TD in the opener. That doesn’t count Adam Butler recovering a fumble in the end zone for a TD against UMass.

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Online:

AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org/

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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