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High stakes for No. 12 Oregon, No. 18 UCLA

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Just a week ago, Oregon’s visit to the Rose Bowl loomed as a defining game in the races for the Pac-12 title and the national championship. The Bruins had a chance to knock off the reigning Ducks, who could cement their supremacy against an up-and-coming power.

When the No. 18 Bruins and the 12th-ranked Ducks both lost last week and plummeted 10 spots in the AP Top 25, Brett Hundley’s showdown with Marcus Mariota at the Rose Bowl assumed new meaning.

The winner will still be in the hunt for the postseason playoff. The loser just might be out of the national title race in early October.

Oregon (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) had more than a week to recover from its stunning home loss to Arizona, but the Ducks realize their tumble from No. 2 will get serious without a strong rebound Saturday.

“Even before all those losses, I thought college football is crazy,” Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead said. “People are going to lose each week. Even after we lost on Thursday, I said we still have a lot to accomplish, still have goals, and everything we want is still obtainable. We’ve just got to take care of business.”

Coach Jim Mora has been saying the same things to his Bruins (4-1, 1-1), whose unbeaten season ended in disappointing fashion at home against Utah. For all of his achievements in 2 1/2 seasons in Westwood, Mora still hasn’t beaten Pac-12 powers Oregon and Stanford.

Mora was pleased by the Bruins’ response to the loss, led by Hundley’s leadership.

“They learned, they applied the lessons, and then they moved forward toward Oregon,” Mora said. “I knew that they would do that. That’s what we’re building here. It’s going to be an ongoing process. It’s never going to be over. That’s the mindset we’re trying to build here. It’s one of toughness.”

Both teams’ ultimate goal is still available despite last week’s defeats, but Oregon also has a lofty recent history to protect. The Ducks haven’t lost consecutive games since 2007, and they lost only six games in the past four seasons combined.

“One loss will not determine anyone’s season,” Oregon center Hroniss Grasu said. “But you’ve got to come back and not let one loss turn into two losses.”

Here are some things to watch when the Ducks fly south to Pasadena:

HEAD TO HEAD: Hundley and Mariota, both fourth-year juniors who passed up the NFL this season, have met just once in their careers. Mariota passed for 230 yards in Oregon’s 28-point victory over the Bruins in Eugene last October, while Hundley managed just 64 yards passing — the lowest full-game total of his college career. Mora thinks the quarterbacks are “very similar in a lot of ways, their character and their leadership. They’re both about the same size. They both have the ability to make every throw on the field, but also to extend the play and to take off and run.”

STACKS AND STACKS OF SACKS: Hundley was sacked 10 times last week, the most for any quarterback in any FBS game since 2012. UCLA’s beleaguered offensive line isn’t fully responsible, either. Hundley acknowledges he hangs onto the ball too long and often isn’t particularly elusive. Sharing responsibility doesn’t help the Bruins’ offense, which has repeatedly been stymied by yardage losses.

SLOWING MARIOTA: Mariota also has been sacked 12 times in the Ducks’ last two games, but UCLA’s defense has a league-low seven sacks this season. Mora doesn’t think pressure is the key to containing the Heisman hopeful. “The key thing is to keep him in the pocket and not let him extend the play,” Mora said. “He’s tremendous, one of the best you see at doing that.”

RIVALRY STAKES: The Ducks have won five straight over UCLA, but they haven’t faced the Bruins in Pasadena since 2009. Oregon has played in two Rose Bowls since then, winning the Granddaddy of Them All for the first time in 95 years in 2012. Oregon’s last loss to UCLA was in 2007, a 16-0 win for the Bruins.

STOP IT: Oregon’s defense has yielded 994 yards in the past two games, struggling on third downs and in red-zone defense. New coordinator Don Pellum sees progress from his Ducks, but UCLA is just one game removed from a 62-point road performance against Arizona State.

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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