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No. 22 Ga Tech looks to stay unbeaten against Duke

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech has positioned itself to have a special season.

To keep it going, the No. 22 Yellow Jackets must get past Duke, a team that knows a thing or two about making an unexpected run to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

One of only 10 unbeaten teams left in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 ACC) puts its perfect record on the line Saturday when it hosts the Blue Devils (4-1, 0-1).

The Yellow Jackets were an afterthought in the preseason rankings, but first-year starting quarterback Justin Thomas has the triple-option offense running to perfection. Last week, Georgia Tech held the ball for more than 40 minutes in a victory over Miami.

“Our quarterback has gotten better each week,” coach Paul Johnson said. “He has a good skill set for what we’d like to do.”

What the Yellow Jackets like to do, of course, is run the football. They are averaging more than 297 yards per game on the ground, ranking second in the ACC and 11th nationally. Thomas leads the team with 470 yards rushing, averaging 6.0 yards per carry, while fullback Zach Laskey is coming off a 133-yard, 29-carry performance against the Hurricanes.

That win propelled Georgia Tech into the Associated Press rankings for the first time this season, but Johnson knows it won’t last long if the Yellow Jackets stumble against Duke.

As the coach told his players at the start of the week, “You worked five weeks to get there. If you don’t take care of business, you’ll be gone in one.”

Duke had last week off after dropping its ACC opener to Miami. The Blue Devils are the defending Coastal Division champs and figure a win over Georgia Tech would jump-start their hopes of winning a second straight title.

“Last year, it was the same thing early on, and it came down to the wire at the end,” said quarterback Anthony Boone, remembering how Duke overcame an 0-2 start in conference play a year ago. “We take every Saturday like it’s a championship game, like it’s a playoff game for us. Hopefully by the end of the year, everything will take care of itself.”

Adding a little fuel to the fire, Duke coach David Cutcliffe ticked off Johnson when discussing the challenges that Georgia Tech faces in recruiting because of its run-oriented offense.

“It’s a little more difficult to recruit high-end players,” Cutcliffe said. “If I’m a receiver, why (would you go to Tech)? If I’m a big-time back, I’m still not doing anything like I hope to do in the National Football League. … Hats off to them for doing a great job of getting players to fit their system.”

Johnson shot back that he’s sent more receivers to the NFL than Cutcliffe has, and advised the Duke coach to worry about his own program.

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Here’s some things to watch for when Georgia Tech hosts Duke:

BIG-PLAY SMELTER: The Yellow Jackets don’t throw it much, but keep an eye on DeAndre Smelter when they do. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound senior usually draws single coverage, which has allowed him to haul in 14 receptions for 339 receiving yards and four TDs. No other Georgia Tech player has more than five receptions.

TURNOVER BATTLE: Both teams rank among the ACC leaders in turnover margin. Georgia Tech tops the conference with a plus-5 differential, while Duke is right behind at plus-4. “That’s a nice little collision waiting to happen,” Cutcliffe said. “It’s going to be fun to see who wins that battle.”

LEAKY DEFENSE: Duke has allowed 186.4 yards per game on the ground, which ranks last in the ACC and doesn’t bode well against a run-oriented team such as Georgia Tech.

TAKING THE THIRD: Georgia Tech has converted 58.1 percent of its third-down plays (36 of 62), which leads the nation. For good measure, the Yellow Jackets have converted 6 of 7 times on fourth down, which is tied for eighth in the country.

BLUE DEVIL BLUES: Georgia Tech has won 10 straight games against Duke, including a 38-14 romp in Durham last season. The Blue Devils have really struggled at Bobby Dodd Stadium. You have to go all the way back to 1994 to find their last victory over the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.

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Associated Press Writer George Henry contributed to this report.

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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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