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ACC struggling to live up to last year’s success

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Everyone around the ACC was talking this summer about the conference’s rising national profile.

With good reason: The Atlantic Coast Conference boasts the defending national champion, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and many felt there were several power programs ready to join the chase for college football’s new four-team playoff.

Usually two out three isn’t bad — but for the ACC, it’s ugly.

A month into the season, the ACC has just one team in the top 25 and disappointments galore.

Clemson is 1-2 for the first time in 10 years. Virginia Tech, at 2-2, followed up a major victory at Ohio State with two home losses in consecutive weeks, something that last happened in 1995. ACC newcomer Louisville opened strongly by beating Miami, then found its first conference road game more difficult in falling at Virginia.

The school with the most ACC victories is East Carolina. The No. 23 Pirates out of the lightly regarded American Athletic Conference program has stung the Hokies and throttled North Carolina — beating the Tar Heels by an eye-popping 70-41 score.

“We’re in uncharted territory right now,” Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris said.

Top-ranked Florida State has kept up its end — barely.

Oklahoma State took the Seminoles to the end before losing 37-31. Then Florida State needed overtime to dispatch Clemson 23-17 with Heisman winning quarterback Jameis Winston serving a 1-game suspension.

It will be difficult for any ACC team other than the Seminoles to make a significant national impact, said former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, now a TV analyst.

“Maybe top 15, but probably not top 10,” Bowden said of how high an ACC team could rise in the Top 25.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go, especially with the ACC’s re-emergence onto the football scene last fall. By midseason 2013, the league had three schools in the top 10 and the game of the year between No. 5 Florida State and No. 3 Clemson that had all eyes on the league.

The good feelings continued into the postseason with Clemson’s defeating Ohio State in the Orange Bowl before the Seminoles captured the national crown, breaking the Southeastern Conference stranglehold on the title.

“The ACC had lots of good things going for it heading to this year,” ESPN analyst and former Georgia defensive lineman David Pollack said.

So far, that hasn’t shown out on the field.

Last week, the league fell hard in a head-to-head matchup against this season’s poster child for struggling football conferences, going 0-3 vs. Big Ten schools including a 34-20 loss by Syracuse to Maryland which left the ACC this season. That result had to tweak several ACC supporters given Terps coach Randy Edsall’s stinging words this summer at a fan gathering: “I’m not in a basketball conference anymore.”

“You see the scores and then you just kind of …,” Pittsburgh coach Paul Chryst said. “You need to live in a bubble.”

Check most ACC team schedules and you’ll find a head-scratcher among their results this season.

Only a game before Boston College’s headline-grabbing victory over No. 9 Southern Cal, the Eagles lost their ACC opener at home to Pitt.

Pittsburgh’s perfect start was spoiled with a 24-20 loss to Iowa.

North Carolina’s defense was exposed by East Carolina, giving up a program record for points in a game.

“You never know nowadays,” said Pittsburgh’s James Conner, who leads the nation with 699 yards rushing. “It’s all about who comes to play and who doesn’t. Virginia Tech beat Ohio State, then they lose and Georgia Tech just beat them.”

That defeat left the Hokies with four consecutive losses to FBS-level competition, something that last took place in the 1978 and 1979 seasons.

Duke receiver Jamison Crowder said to change perception ACC teams need to win games.

“I guess people, they’re going to have their opinions about the ACC,” he said. “We’re a part of the conference and we always want other teams to hold down the ACC, but at the end of the day, we’ve just got to focus on what Duke can control.”

It’s not all doom-and-gloom across ACC campuses.

Georgia Tech is 4-0 and so is Duke, the Coastal champ last fall. North Carolina State is also off to a 4-0 start in coach Dave Doeren’s second season, although the Wolfpack’s begins league play Saturday against the Seminoles.

If anything, the ACC’s inconsistency at the top means everyone’s got a chance.

“We try and focus on us,” Virginia cornerback Maurice Canady said. “We’re 1-0 right now in the ACC, so I guess it is wide-open for us.”

___

AP Sports Writers Hank Kurz Jr. from Charlottesville, Virginia; , Joedy McCreary from Durham, North Carolina; Gary B. Graves from Louisville, Kentucky; and Will Graves from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania contributed to this report.

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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