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No. 7 Alabama holds off Arkansas 14-13

By WTOP Staff

KURT VOIGT
AP Sports Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Even after a week, Blake Sims wasn’t quite ready to let go of the frustration from the shocking loss at Mississippi.

The rest of the Alabama quarterback’s teammates played as if they were still hung up on the loss as well for much of a 14-13 victory at Arkansas on Saturday night.

Despite a second straight week of wildly inconsistent play littered with turnovers, Sims threw a pair of touchdown passes and the No. 7 Crimson Tide rallied for the win — narrowly avoiding another Southeastern Conference loss.

Alabama (5-1, 2-1) was outgained 335-227, fumbling four times on special teams along the way. But Sims’ 6-yard touchdown pass to DeAndrew White in the fourth quarter helped ease any leftover pain from last week’s 23-17 loss in Oxford.

“I think the thing that motivated us, helped us play so hard this week, was the loss (to Mississippi),” Sims said. “The loss hurt us so bad, because we knew we (were) probably better than the other team.”

The Crimson Tide, stymied offensively for much of the first three quarters, trailed 13-7 entering the fourth quarter.

However, it avoided a second straight SEC loss — which hasn’t happened since Nick Saban’s first year as coach in 2007 — thanks to a defensive effort that limited Arkansas to 5 yards rushing on 13 carries in the second half.

“Obviously, our team was very disappointed and responded well, I think, to what happened a week ago,” Saban said. “It’s tough on the road in this league, and our division is really, really difficult. There’s no easy games.”

The loss for the Razorbacks (3-3, 0-3) is their 15th straight in SEC play, a stretch that dates back to the 2012 season under interim coach John L. Smith.

An emotional second-year coach Bret Bielema, who has yet to win a conference game since leaving Wisconsin, was fighting back tears after the loss. It’s the second straight disheartening defeat for Arkansas, which lost in overtime to Texas A&M two weeks ago.

“The part that kills me is for my players, their families,” Bielema said with a wavering voice. “Because they are winners. I can’t give them a ‘W’ … They’re getting frustrated. It is very frustrating for me.”

Brandon Allen was 21-of-40 passing for 246 yards for the Razorbacks, but his late interception helped seal the comeback win for Alabama.

Arkansas lost by identical 52-0 scores to the Crimson Tide in each of the past two seasons, but it outplayed Alabama for much of the game on Saturday — outgaining the Crimson Tide 300-145 through three quarters.

Despite a pair of lost first-half fumbles, including one by running back Kody Walker inches before he crossed the goal line for a touchdown, Arkansas took a 13-7 lead in the third quarter when Allen connected with tight end A.J. Derby for a 54-yard touchdown.

Sims rallied the Crimson Tide early in the fourth quarter, rolling out to the right before looking back to the middle of the end zone and finding a wide open White for the touchdown. Adam Griffith’s extra point put Alabama up 14-13, a lead that the Crimson Tide defense held.

The win is Alabama’s eighth in a row against Arkansas, and Sims finished 11 of 21 for 161 yards — including a 22-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Yeldon in the second quarter.

The Razorbacks, who entered the game leading the SEC in rushing with an average of 316.6 yards on the ground per game, had 84 yards rushing in the first half — sparked by 78 yards on 16 carries from junior Jonathan Williams.

However, led by linebacker Reggie Ragland’s 12 tackles, the Crimson Tide shut down Arkansas in the second half.

Landon Collins had the late interception to help secure the win for Alabama, snaring an Allen pass that was intended for Williams — who had a clear path to the end zone — out of the backfield.

“My teammates told me nobody was there, so I had to make a play,” Collins said.

Arkansas had a pair of kicking miscues in the first half, a high snap that halted a 43-yard field goal attempt and a blocked extra point by Jonathan Allen.

The plays were just enough to lift Alabama and keep the Razorbacks in search a breakthrough win.

“We’re so close,” Allen said. “There are so many just little things throughout the whole game that we could’ve done better to win that game. And it’s just disappointing to leave those things on the field.”

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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