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Arkansas hopes to move past blowouts against ‘Bama

By WTOP Staff

KURT VOIGT
AP Sports Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — As Arkansas fell from the ranks of the Southeastern Conference’s elite in the wake of the Bobby Petrino scandal, its rock bottom — two years running — came against Alabama.

More than anything, the Razorbacks want to prove — after back-to-back 52-0 losses against Alabama — how far they’ve come under second-year coach Bret Bielema, and that they can be competitive with the SEC’s gold standard. The Razorbacks (3-2, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) host the No. 7 Crimson Tide (4-1, 1-1) on Saturday.

“As a team, we’re a night and day difference from where we were last year,” Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen said. “I think our play has shown that at times this year … We’re such a much improved team than we were at any point last year.”

Allen knows well the frustrations of losing to the Crimson Tide, having started in each of the blowout losses. Two years ago marked the junior’s first career start, while he played last year with an injured shoulder — resulting in a combined 17-of-43 passing (40 percent) for 151 yards and four interceptions.

Arkansas has improved greatly this season compared to the team that was winless in the SEC a year ago, thanks in large part to a physical offensive line that has led the way for the league’s top rushing attack.

However, an overtime loss to Texas A&M two weeks ago was the school’s 14th straight in conference play. It’s a streak that appears unlikely to end this weekend against an Alabama roster highly motivated after a shocking loss at Mississippi last week.

The Crimson Tide is in an unfamiliar position this week after the loss to the Rebels, sitting in fifth place in the vaunted SEC West. On Alabama’s side, though, against Arkansas is the fact the school hasn’t lost back-to-back SEC games since 2007 — Nick Saban’s first year as coach.

That was three national championships ago, though Saban clearly isn’t counting on any trophies to aid against the up-and-coming Razorbacks.

“This is going to be a very challenging game,” Saban said. “These guys are a very, very good football team and our team is going to have to play as well as we’ve played and continue to improve to be able to have success, especially on the road.”

Other factors to watch as Arkansas looks to end a seven-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide:

COOPER’S IMPACT: Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper is off to the fastest start in SEC history with 52 catches through the first five games of the season. The junior is second in the country with an average of 149.2 yards receiving per game, and he is likely to pose a significant matchup problem for an Arkansas secondary that allows 263.8 yards passing per game.

RUSHING RAZORBACKS: Led by the backfield duo of Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, Arkansas leads the SEC with an average of 316.6 yards rushing per game. Collins is second in the conference in rushing with an average of 124.2 yards per game, while Williams averages nearly 100 yards per game and leads the Razorbacks with eight touchdowns.

INJURED ALABAMA: The Crimson Tide will be without three key performers due to injuries on Saturday, including running back Kenyan Drake, linebacker Denzel Devall and center Ryan Kelly. Drake had 22 carries for 112 yards and four touchdowns this season before breaking his left leg against Ole Miss.

HANGOVER WATCH: Both Alabama and Arkansas are coming off disappointing losses and must overcome any potential emotional hangover. That’s likely easier for the Crimson Tide, which is accustomed to bouncing back and wild success under Saban. For the Razorbacks, Saturday could truly prove how far they’ve come under Bielema as they try to recover after losing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against Texas A&M two weeks ago.

CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION: Arkansas will have plenty of championship experience in Razorback Stadium on Saturday, with members of the school’s 1964 team returning to be honored for the 50th anniversary of their national championship. Among those on the team were Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson. Alabama was crowned national champion by The Associated Press in 1964, but there was no vote in the AP poll following the bowl games. The Crimson Tide lost to Texas in the Orange Bowl, while the Razorbacks finished undefeated and were named champions by the Football Writers Association of America.

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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