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Bengals kickers divided on UC/OSU game

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Bengals’ kickers have divided loyalties heading into their bye weekend. One thing is known: Either punter Kevin Huber or kicker Mike Nugent is about to have an embarrassing photo posted the next time they get together.

Huber went to the University of Cincinnati. Nugent was the kicker on Ohio State’s national championship team in 2002. There’s no way that they were going to take the high road with their schools playing on Saturday in Columbus.

One of them is going to end up looking bad. Publicly.

“Whoever loses, there’s going to be something on Twitter,” Nugent said. “That’s all I can say at this point. I’ve got to leave some build-up for you guys.

“We have a good Twitter bet going. We didn’t want to do anything money-wise, we want it to be more pride and maybe have to do something to support the other team if you lose.”

The game will be front-and-center this weekend with the Bengals (3-0) on their bye week. Nugent will be at a friend’s wedding and won’t get to see the game, but plans to keep up on it through text updates from friends.

Their bet will be settled when they get back together Monday in Cincinnati and begin preparation for a Sunday night game in New England.

It’ll be only the fifth time since 1931 that Ohio State (2-1) and Cincinnati (2-0) have played in football, but it’s a game that has a lot riding on it. The Buckeyes haven’t lost to an in-state school since a 7-6 defeat against Oberlin in 1921. They’ve gone 44 games without such a loss.

Cincinnati came the closest to ending the streak. Playing at the Bengals’ Paul Brown Stadium in 2002, the Bearcats dropped two passes in the end zone during the closing minutes, allowing Ohio State to hold on for a 23-19 win. Ohio State went on to win the national championship.

“Oh my gosh, I think it came down to the last play five or six games that season,” Nugent said. “One of those things that we could lose it here or we could win it here and move on. That was at the point in college where if you lose one game, your chances of going to the national championship are pretty slim.”

Paul Brown Stadium was a grass field back then, in only its third season. There were so many problems with the grass — it pulled loose from a sandy base very easily — that it was eventually replaced with artificial turf.

“It was up-and-down,” Nugent said. “You’d be on the hash (mark) and you’re going up and down like tiny little hills, so it just wasn’t very consistent and you can see why it was changed.”

Huber was a backup on the Cincinnati team that lost at Ohio State 37-7 in 2006. It’ll be the first time the schools have played since then.

Huber and Nugent spend a lot of time together at practice, working on their kicking together. So it was a natural that they’d have something riding on their college game. The loser has to dress for a photo of the winner’s choice. And the photo will be posted on Twitter.

“I’m hoping I’m not going to be involved in any picture or anything,” Nugent said. “It’s going to be me taking a picture of Kevin.”

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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