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Dantonio asked about score after 73-14 rout of EMU

By WTOP Staff

DAN KILBRIDGE
Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — No. 9 Michigan State is favored by more than four touchdowns for the second straight week, though Mark Dantonio is expecting Wyoming to provide a better test than Eastern Michigan did last weekend.

Michigan State (2-1) hosts the Cowboys (3-0) on Saturday coming off a 73-14 win over EMU. Dantonio said he doesn’t want to run up the score on opponents and the Spartans played mostly second- and third-string players during the second half.

“Every player we put in there we expect to play hard, and that is what they did,” Dantonio said. “You can’t ask them to slow down. I don’t want to run the score up on anybody, but you have to play every play to the fullest. . The game went one-sided because of turnovers, I think.”

Eastern Michigan had six turnovers, leading to 31 points by the Spartans. Eagles quarterback Rob Bolden, a former Spartan recruiting target, threw two interceptions but did connect with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

Backup running back Delton Williams made it even more lopsided on an 80-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes remaining in the game. But Dantonio said Tuesday he won’t allow his team to become complacent entering its final nonconference game against the Cowboys.

“Our focus needs to be on getting better,” Dantonio said. “We compete against ourselves as well as the opponent. . We’re still trying to find out who we are a little bit as we move forward. We’re going to find out more this week. I think Wyoming is a very well-coached football team.”

First-year Wyoming coach Craig Bohl won back-to-back FCS championships at North Dakota State in 2011-12. The Bison won 24 consecutive games during that time with Bohl at the helm. Wyoming runs a pro style offense which is very similar to the Spartans in terms of scheme. That will give Michigan State a different look after three straight games against spread offenses.

“They are probably more like us than anybody we’ve played,” Dantonio said. “I think that’s a positive for us. . They want to run the football.”

The Spartans almost certainly have to win out following a week two loss at Oregon in order to have any hope of making the College Football Playoff, and even that might not be enough without some outside help. The Big Ten took a big perception hit early this season with some prominent losses.

Despite Dantonio’s belief that running up the score isn’t necessary, it’s never too early for a little campaigning. Dantonio said he believes a Big Ten champion should be in the playoff rather than, say, a second-place SEC team.

“My vision is you should be a champion of your league before you can be a champion of the country,” Dantonio said. “Might not happen like that. But that would be my vision.”

Having won the Rose Bowl in 2013, anything less than a playoff appearance this season could be considered a disappointment. That’s not necessarily fair, but it is reality for these Spartans entering their final nonconference game.

“Maybe it’s like basketball a little bit where if you don’t get to the Final Four, maybe it’s not as successful,” Dantonio said. “But expectations have something to do with that. You want expectations to be high. That’s what we came here for. We came here and said seven, eight years ago that we wanted to win championships and compete for them on a yearly basis. That’s what we’re doing.”

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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