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Syracuse faces Louisville at home in a key matchup

By WTOP Staff

JOHN KEKIS
AP Sports Writer

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — More than a month into the season, Syracuse finally gets a taste of Atlantic Coast Conference action, and there might be no better opponent for the Orange to face than Louisville.

Riding a two-game losing streak and with a grueling schedule ahead, Syracuse (2-2) begins ACC play on Friday night at home against the Cardinals (4-1, 2-1 ACC). Though the series is tied 6-6, the Cardinals have been knocked for a loop more than once by the Orange in the past seven years.

In 2007, Syracuse beat the 18th-ranked Cardinals, 38-35, at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium as Andrew Robinson threw for 423 yards, the third-best total in school history, and four touchdowns.

The next year, running back Curtis Brinkley broke Syracuse’s single-season record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games, getting his fifth straight against the Cardinals as he logged 166 yards. Cameron Dantley’s late TD pass gave the Orange a 28-21 victory.

And in Louisville’s last trip to the Carrier Dome two years ago, Ryan Nassib passed for 246 yards and three TDs in a 45-26 victory over the Teddy Bridgewater-led Cardinals. It was the first loss of the season after nine wins for 11th-ranked Louisville.

Enough already.

After last week’s win over Wake Forest, the Cardinals immediately started talking about payback in the Carrier Dome, and that caught the ear of coach Bobby Petrino.

“I haven’t heard a whole lot (since),” Petrino said. “Our focus is really just to get ready to play and go up and do a good job of playing the game right.”

Syracuse is coming off a tough loss to then-No. 8 Notre Dame. The Syracuse defense forced five turnovers — safety Durell Eskridge returned an interception for a touchdown — but the offense didn’t take advantage of the other four and the Orange lost 31-15.

“When you get five turnovers, there have to be points,” Syracuse offensive coordinator George McDonald said. “We got five freaking turnovers and we (the offense) got zero points. Our defense is doing a wonderful job and we’re not holding up our end of the bargain.”

At least there wasn’t much time to dwell on it.

“It’s probably a good thing it’s a short week,” Syracuse defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough said. “The guys just came back and started right on Louisville.”

“After two straight losses, you get hungry for that next win,” Orange cornerback Julian Whigham said. “I think we’re coming into the game with a lot of hunger. We’re up for the challenge.”

Some things to know when Louisville visits Syracuse on Friday night:

GROUND CONTROL: Louisville sophomore Brandon Radcliff rushed for career bests of 129 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries against Wake Forest to lead a 215-yard Louisville ground attack. It was something the Cardinals sorely needed after netting just 91 yards in the previous two games. Freshman Reggie Bonnafon is scheduled to make his second straight start at quarterback with sophomore Will Gardner nursing a sore knee, but the Cardinals aim to rush the ball to shift defensive attention away from their developing signal-callers.

WIN OR STAY HOME: According to the NCAA, Syracuse has the eighth-most difficult schedule in the country. Its opponents are 39-17 (.696) so far in 2014, and still on the docket are top-ranked Florida State, Duke and North Carolina State at home and Clemson on the road. The Orange have won three bowl games in four years and a second straight loss at home could put a serious damper on their postseason hopes.

PASS-RUSH MASTERS: Louisville has recorded sacks every game, but has erupted for 16 in the past three contests, including a season-high eight against Wake Forest. Their 19 sacks rank 11th nationally and second in the ACC. Oh, and safety Gerod Holliman has intercepted six passes, returning one for a touchdown against Florida International. Syracuse leads the ACC and is tied for eighth in the nation in fewest turnovers lost with three.

THIRD DOWN WOES: Quarterback Terrel Hunt leads Syracuse in rushing yards (299) and rushing yards per game (74.8) and has scored six touchdowns. He’s also thrown for 782 yards and one TD with just two interceptions in 113 throws. Still, the team’s third-down conversion rate is an awful 34.5 percent, good for 102nd in the country.

ORANGE OUT: The City of Syracuse officially declared the week “Orange Out Week” in an effort to raise community spirit. Mayor Stephanie Miner thought it was a good way to build team spirit. Several downtown buildings, including City Hall, are illuminated in orange and residents are encouraged to wear orange clothing to show their support for the football team.

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AP Sports Writer Gary Graves in Louisville contributed.

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Follow Kekis on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Greek1947

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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