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Rating the Nation: Best BCS-era Teams

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

When it comes to powerhouse teams of the BCS era, Southern California’s 2004 edition is the ultimate No. 1.

Ahead of the 2014 college football season, The Associated Press asked its panel of Top 25 voters, who are known for ranking the nation’s top teams each week, to weigh in on which team during the Bowl Championship Series era (1998-2013) was the best.

The Trojans came out on top, followed by Miami’s loaded 2001 squad and Alabama’s perfect title team in 2009.

The full list:

Southern California, 2004: The Trojans remained atop the rankings all season and rolled to a 13-0 record with a star-studded roster that included two Heisman Trophy winners in the offensive backfield — QB Matt Leinart and RB Reggie Bush. USC beat Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl to complete its season.

Miami, 2001: A team stocked with future NFL talent went 12-0 with an average victory margin of 33.2 points, including a 37-14 Rose Bowl rout of Nebraska. Miami’s typical starting lineup that season featured 10 first-round draft picks: CB Phillip Buchanon, WR Andre Johnson, DT William Joseph, DE Jerome McDougle, OT Bryant McKinnie, S Ed Reed, CB Mike Rumph, TE Jeremy Shockey, LB Jonathan Vilma and LB D.J. Williams.

Alabama, 2009: The Crimson Tide went 14-0 with a team that featured a record six Associated Press first-team All-Americans. The list of All-Americans included Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram. The Tide closed the season by whipping defending national champion Florida 32-13 for the SEC title and defeating Texas 37-21 in the BCS championship game.

Texas, 2005: Quarterback Vince Young, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, capped the Longhorns’ undefeated season by throwing for 267 yards and rushing for 200 more in a dramatic 41-38 Rose Bowl victory over Southern California. Texas capped a perfect season and the victory kept USC from winning a third straight AP national title.

Oklahoma, 2000: Oklahoma relied on a punishing defense and the quarterback play of Heisman Trophy runner-up Josh Heupel to go unbeaten. The Sooners clinched the national title by shutting down a potent Florida State offense featuring Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke in a 13-2 Orange Bowl victory over the Seminoles.

Florida State, 2013: Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston capped the Seminoles’ undefeated season by rallying them from a 21-3 deficit in a 34-31 BCS championship game victory over Auburn. The title game was one of few close calls for the Seminoles, whose average margin of victory was 39.5 points.

Florida, 2008: Urban Meyer captured his second title in three years with Tim Tebow at the controls. The Gators sidestepped a Game 4 loss to Mississippi — at home, no less — and averaged almost 50 points a game over the next nine starts before dispatching top-ranked Oklahoma 24-14 at the Orange Bowl.

Florida, 2006: Setting a template they would follow two years later, the Gators came into the title game an underdog and ranked No. 2 to a powerhouse. After Ohio State’s Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Meyer and his swarming defense, and an offense led by H-back Percy Harvin and the two-headed QB tandem of Chris Leak and Tebow rolled to a 41-14 laugher.

Auburn, 2010: Perhaps the Tigers’ biggest victory was just keeping Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton eligible amid allegations that he had accepted improper inducements to come to Auburn. Newton guided the Tigers on a game-winning that ended with Wes Byrum’s title-clinching FG with no time left for a 22-19 win over Oregon.

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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