Skip to main content

No. 11 Oklahoma needs bounce-back vs. Texas

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP) — Oklahoma needs another one of those bounce-back games that have become so common under coach Bob Stoops.

Without one Saturday in their storied rivalry against Texas, the 11th-ranked Sooners will have a difficult, and likely impossible, time getting back into the mix for a spot in the new four-team College Football Playoff.

“Just worried about this week. Down the road’s a long way off — for everybody,” Stoops said. “Through the years, when there’s only been two teams to qualify to get into the championship game, how many one-loss teams have won it? Quite a few. LSU won it with two losses. So I don’t know why it’s much different. … We’ll see.”

Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) was among the losing teams last week in that unprecedented string of upsets — among five of the top eight ranked teams that lost, and 11 of the top 20. The 37-33 loss at TCU dropped the Sooners seven spots, and took them out a prime position as the Big 12’s highest-ranked team.

Eight-time Big 12 champion Oklahoma hasn’t lost consecutive games in the regular season since the start of the 2000, going 31-0 in the regular season following a loss.

Since 2009, the Sooners have also won 10 consecutive games in rematches against teams that beat them the previous season — like Texas (2-3, 1-2) did 36-20 last year, when Oklahoma was a two-touchdown favorite just as it is now.

Stoops was 9-6 against former Texas coach Mack Brown with a string of lopsided victories.

Like Stoops, new Texas coach Charlie Strong won a national championship as a defensive coordinator with Florida before getting a head coaching job. Strong, whose title with the Gators came in the 2009 BCS national championship game over the Stoops-coached Sooners, already knows the significance of the Red River Rivalry game at the State Fair of Texas.

“The Texas-Oklahoma rivalry is a special rivalry. We know how big it is,” Strong said. “Don’t have to say much to the players this week. Don’t have to worry about them being down. They know what’s at stake here. Last year going into this game everyone was kind of throwing dirt on them, and they were able to bounce back and go win it.”

Here are a few things to watch when Texas and Oklahoma play for the 109th time, the 92nd time in Dallas, halfway between the two campuses:

MIDTERM GRADE: Strong had to chuckle when he was asked this week what his midseason grade was for his team. “I don’t know if I can put a letter grade on it, but we’d like to play better,” Strong said. “We’re not playing up to our ability. I think that we can play a lot better than what we’re playing, and I tell our guys that.” The Longhorns are in a difficult stretch, coming off a loss to No. 5 Baylor and with three more ranked opponents (Kansas State, Oklahoma State and TCU) still left after Oklahoma.

SHINING STERLING: Sooners receiver Sterling Shepard has the second-longest active FBS streak with four consecutive 100-yard receiving games, one behind West Virginia’s Kevin White. Shepard is second in the Big 12 and third in the FBS with 130.2 yards receiving per game. He had seven catches for 215 yards, only two yards short of the school record, at TCU when he also had a 75-yard touchdown catch.

WINNING WHEN EXPECTED, WITH A BIG EXCEPTION: Oklahoma has won 22 of its last 23 games against unranked teams, including seven in a row. That lone loss in that span was 36-20 to Texas last October. Since that win, the Longhorns have lost five in a row against ranked teams, and are 4-17 in such games since 2010.

CORNY DOGS FOR SPLIT CROWD: The Red River game has been played at Cotton Bowl Stadium during the State Fair of Texas since 1929. The crowd is split 50-50 in burnt orange and crimson. The winner gets The Golden Hat, the rotating trophy in use since 1941. The Longhorns lead the series 60-43-5, and are the only Big 12 team with a series lead over Oklahoma.

GETTING QBS: Texas has 20 quarterback sacks in its first five games for the first time since 1985, and ahead of the pace in 2008, when it finished the season with a national-best 47 sacks. Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty hadn’t been sacked this season before getting taken down three times last Saturday in the Longhorns’ 28-7 loss.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote