English Football League clubs are set to cast a crucial vote on Thursday concerning a significant expansion of the Championship play-offs for the upcoming season.

The proposal aims to increase the number of participating teams from four to six, mirroring the National League’s model.

Should the motion pass, the top two teams in England’s second tier would still secure automatic promotion, but the play-off spots would extend to those finishing between third and eighth.

This would be a departure from the current system, which involves only teams placed third to sixth.

The vote, scheduled for late Thursday morning, requires a majority from all EFL clubs, alongside a separate majority among Championship clubs, to be carried.

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Thursday’s decision, it is understood, will focus solely on the principle of expanding the play-offs, with the precise format to be determined at a later stage, potentially during the league’s annual general meeting this summer.

The National League’s six-team format sees clubs finishing fourth and seventh, and fifth and sixth, face off in single-leg eliminators.

The winners then progress to join the second and third-placed teams in the semi-finals.

Last season, Oldham Athletic notably triumphed in the National League play-offs despite finishing 23 points adrift of second-placed York, a result that intensified discussions around the limited two promotion spots from the fifth tier to League Two.

While a debate concerning a potential increase of National League promotions to three teams is anticipated, no vote on this matter will take place this week.

Such a decision would necessitate the prior distribution of full briefing papers and voting slips.

The two-day all-club meeting, which commenced on Wednesday, also includes addresses from David Kogan and Richard Monks, the chair and chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator.

Kogan recently called for a new financial settlement to be agreed between the Premier League and EFL amid fears that relegation is a “near death sentence” for some clubs.

Iowa State dropped to a No. 4 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology following its 73-57 loss at No. 2 Arizona on Monday night. It marked the Cyclones’ third loss in their last four games and underscored just how tightly packed teams in the Nos. 2-4 seed range are with less than two weeks until Selection Sunday.

Less than two weeks ago, Iowa State landed as the fourth No. 1 seed in the March Madness bracket preview. But with little separating teams 6-14 in the overall seeding hierarchy, recent struggles have come with a cost for the Cyclones, who are still a solid 14-6 across Quad 1 and Quad 2 games.

Texas Tech rose from a No. 4 seed to a No. 3 seed to replace Iowa State as it continues thriving without star forward JT Toppin. The Red Raiders have won three straight since losing their leading scorer and leading rebounder for the season due to a knee injury. In that time, they have hit 45.1% of their 3-pointers. Among their victories is a Saturday road win over Iowa State that could be especially impactful if the selection committee compares the teams side-by-side.

Bracketology Bubble Watch: UCLA, TCU among NCAA Tournament at-large hopefuls with massive Tuesday games

David Cobb

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Here is a glimpse at how the CBS Sports Bracketology model sees the top of the bracket entering a busy Tuesday of action.

Bracketology top seeds

Check out the full field of 68 at the CBS Sports Bracketology hub.

Movement since the preview

Another faller since the Feb. 21 bracket preview is Purdue. The Boilermakers landed on the No. 2 line when the selection committee offered its annual glimpse at the top 16 overall seeds. Now the Boilermakers are a No. 3 seed following consecutive losses to Michigan State and Ohio State.

Among those on the rise since the bracket preview is Michigan State. The Spartans are on a four-game winning streak and now reside on the No. 2 seed line in CBS Sports Bracketology after landing as a No. 4 seed in the committee’s preview. Florida and UConn have also risen in our model. The Huskies landed as the top No. 2 seed in the bracket preview but are the fourth No. 1 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology following recent losses from former No. 1 seed contenders like Iowa State, Houston and Purdue.

After landing as a No. 3 seed in the bracket preview, Florida is now nipping at UConn’s heels for the final No. 1 seed. The Gators can wrap up an outright SEC title with a win over Mississippi State on Tuesday. Alabama has also quietly risen from a No. 5 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology to a No. 3 seed while piecing together an eight-game winning streak highlighted by this past Saturday’s road win over Tennessee.

Rematch rules

Amid conference consolidation and the proliferation of nonconference matchups between high-major schools, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee faces challenges in attempting to avoid regular-season rematches. The 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket featured three potential second-round games between conference teams, although none came to fruition. 

The committee will still seek to minimize conference meetings and nonconference rematches, and our model is coded to do the same. However, NCAA bracketing principles permit games between conference teams in the second round, so long as the teams played each other just once before the NCAA Tournament. For conference teams that met twice prior to the NCAA Tournament, principles state they should not meet prior to the Sweet 16. If the teams played three times, NCAA bracketing principles state they should not play before the Elite Eight.

Concerning rematches of nonconference games, NCAA bracketing principles state that they should be avoided “in the First Four and first round.” The committee will also “attempt to avoid” nonconference rematches in the second round. But the committee has historically prioritized keeping teams on their natural seed line over changing their seed line for the sake of avoiding a rematch. 

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Arjun Tendulkar, IPL cricketer and son of India great Sachin Tendulkar, is getting ready for his marriage with Saaniya Chandhok. Ahead of the main ceremony, which is expected to be held on March 5, the first visuals of the couple’s Mehendi ceremony went viral on Tuesday. Both the Tendulkar and Chandhok families got together for a lavish ceremony. Some reports claimed Yuvraj Singh and his wife Hazel also attended the ceremony.

Arjun Tendulkar with Fiance Saaniya & Both Side Family Arrived For Mehendi & Sangeet #arjuntendulkar #entertainmentvideo #viral #trending #fyp pic.twitter.com/hWJKiFP76A

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— entertainment Video (@entertainm58059) March 3, 2026

One day, Rohit Sharma and Ahaan Sharma will be standing together like Sachin Tendulkar and Arjun Tendulkar.🙌 pic.twitter.com/BDsYVVVHY1

— (@rushiii_12) March 3, 2026

Tendulkar & Chandok families come together for Arjun & Saaniya’s Mehndi Ceremony ❤️😍

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.#ArjunAndSaaniya #MehndiCelebration #TendulkarFamily #ChandokFamily #WeddingVibes #IndiaForums pic.twitter.com/igWGIZwfJ5

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— India Forums (@indiaforums) March 3, 2026

Sachin recently invited top dignitaries like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and others for the wedding ceremony, which is expected to be held on March 5, 2026.

“Jab beta koi ladki ko ghar leke aata hai, introduce karne ke liye, then you know ke beta bada ho gaya hai (When a son brings a girl home to introduce her, then you know that the son has grown up). They look madly in love with each other. Arjun, I have to say I am extremely proud of you to have found someone so special who loves you as much as you love her,” said Sachin recently at a ceremony.

Arjun and Saaniya got engaged in August 2025. Arjun, who was recently traded from the Mumbai Indians to the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is a regular in the Indian domestic cricket circuit. Saaniya is a successful entrepreneur and comes from a prominent background. She is the granddaughter of well-known Mumbai businessman Ravi Ghai and has reportedly been a close part of the Tendulkar inner circle for quite some time.

Arjun has carved out a distinct path in domestic cricket, transitioning from his early days in Mumbai to becoming a vital bowling all-rounder for Goa. A tall left-arm fast bowler and a capable lower-order batsman, he made a sensational Ranji Trophy debut for Goa in 2022 by scoring a century, famously emulating his father’s feat of reaching three figures in his maiden first-class match.

While he has faced the inevitable pressure of carrying a legendary surname, he has shown glimpses of his potential during his IPL stint with the Mumbai Indians. He will be under the spotlight again as he dons the LSG jersey next season.

Match of the Day will bring you all the best of the action and talking points from the Premier League on BBC One on Wednesday 4 March at 22:40 GMT.

The BBC Sport website will feature highlights of every Premier League match during the 2025-26 season.

At weekends, these will be available on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer on Saturdays and Sundays – ordinarily from 20:00 GMT.

If there is an evening match, highlights from all matches that day will be available 30 minutes after the final game of the day finishes.

Highlights of weeknight matches will be published at 22:30 GMT.

You can join Alex Scott and guests every week on Football Focus (Saturday, 11:30 GMT) for all the big talking points, reaction and interviews with players.

Don’t miss any of the goals as they go in on Final Score – starting on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Red Button from 14:45 GMT and BBC One at 16:30 GMT on Saturdays.

Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. (0) celebrates winning a NCAA basketball game between Tennessee and Alabama at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Feb. 28, 2026.

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On Sunday, the first reports of an impending divorce between the Vikings and veterans Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave forewarned Skol Nation of the incoming roster shakeup needed to get under the salary cap.

Jones’ expected departure will leave the Vikings a runner short in the backfield, with only Jordan Mason under contract for the upcoming season, and no developmental player waiting for his chance.

Of course, interim GM Rob Brzezinski could acquire a back in the Draft or in free agency, but until the front office makes that move, the running game is Mason’s show.

Mason arrived in the Twin Cities last offseason in exchange for a 6th-round Draft pick. In his first season in purple, Mason tabulated 758 rushing yards and 51 as a pass-catcher. He’s not known for his receiving ability, but as a bruiser in the ground game. The back found the endzone six times, leading the Vikings in touchdowns.

His most productive stretch came without Jones in the lineup, who missed a total of five games last season. Five of his six strongest yardage outputs transpired without Jones stealing his carries. The duo was built to form a one-two punch and it’s fair to expect the Vikings to do the same this offseason by signing or drafting another ball carrier.

Still, handing Mason a bigger role might not be the worst idea. Even behind Minnesota’s subpar offensive line and despite getting minimal help from the passing game, Mason secured 4.8 yards per carry. His downhill running style has been a nice change of pace for the Vikings’ running game.

Last offseason, head coach Kevin O’Connell said about his new weapon, “We really felt what we were looking for was right before our very eyes. You know, a heavy slash runner, tough to tackle, gets in space and has burst and explosion to finish runs. And also a guy that probably doesn’t get enough credit in his pass protection and just every-down versatility.”

Pass protection remains an area of inconsistency, but O’Connell’s assessment of his physical running style proved accurate.

Among 49 RBs with at least 100 carries, Mason ranked 6th in success rate and 3rd in explosive rush percentage. He also generated the 6th-most yards over expected per rush.

All of that came after a season in which Mason was the lead back for half the season in San Francisco. Due to Christian McCaffrey’s injury, he was asked to be a key piece of Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and he displayed comparably strong efficiency numbers.

What stands out most about Mason’s profile is sustainability. His efficiency wasn’t built on gadget plays or broken coverages. He consistently generated positive yardage between the tackles and forced defenders to bring extra help. That kind of production tends to translate year over year.

Of course, workload is the final unknown. Mason has never handled a full 17-game lead-back assignment in Minnesota. Durability and consistency over a larger sample size remain untested variables. But based on last season’s production, the opportunity — at least temporarily — appears earned rather than gifted.

Though he has never entered a season as a lead back, this year could be different for Mason. The running back Draft class only features one bona-fide star rusher in Jeremiyah Love and the Vikings likely aren’t in reach to grab him in the 1st round.

Free agency is a different story. Though Breece Hall isn’t expected to become a free agent, the class is still loaded with talent, headlined by Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker or 2021 1st-rounder Travis Etienne.

Players such as Rico Dowdle, Kenneth Gainwell, Tyler Allgeier, or JK Dobbins could be committee backs next to Mason.

Minnesota is almost certain to add competition before Week 1. But as the roster currently stands, Jordan Mason is the clear frontrunner to handle lead-back duties. Whether that role lasts through the summer or into the regular season will depend on what the Vikings do next.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

For a little while, the idea of making a move for quarterback Mac Jones was among the top Vikings rumors. Soon enough, reality is going to arrive, allowing everyone to learn about how robust the interest is in the backup passer over in San Francisco.

On The Athletic, Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur suggest that Minnesota may opt for a cheaper option.

“The Minnesota Vikings were supposedly very interested,” the authors explain, “and there were a few teams that also needed someone like Jones, who won five games for the 49ers off the bench last season and is still only 27 years old. But a lot of those openings, it turns out, weren’t so open.”

Not too long afterwards, the quarterbacks who get linked to the Vikings are Anthony Richardson, Kyler Murray, Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins, and Tua Tagovailoa. Minnesota, evidently, will be keen to explore those who can be acquired without losing picks rather than pulling off a pricey trade.

Vikings Rumor: Mac Jones as a Purple Passer (Possibly)

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk makes note of the news, as well.

Florio writes: “With plenty of free-agent options currently available — and with more coming as cuts are made — quarterback-needy teams are far more likely to consider players who could be acquired without losing a draft pick […] Jones is due to make only $3.25 million in 2026. If someone trades for him with the idea of making him the starter or a competitor for the job, he may want a raise. That adds another wrinkle to the situation.”

Florio is exactly right. Employing a passer for cheap sounds great, but would Mac Jones still be cheap if he got picked up by the Vikings? If not, then that’s an important factor to consider.

To be sure, there’s much that remains to be determined.

Consider, for instance, the basic update about Minnesota looking to move on from DT Javon Hargrave and RB Aaron Jones. Cutting these well-paid veterans is going to happen…unless there’s a trade. The thinking is that Minnesota will hold onto these players to see if they can pry away a pick (or two) once NFL teams strike out on attracting free agent talent in the early moments of free agency.

See the overlap in the rationale? Teams aren’t going to jump at Hargrave and Jones right now because there are cheaper options. If, however, other teams land the coveted talent, then maybe there’s a front office willing to lessen the coffers a touch to bring one of these players to town.

Likewise, San Francisco could be experiencing the calm before the storm. NFL free agency is bound to lead to some teams failing to sign the desired passer(s). The pivot could therefore be to pickup the phone to see about prying away Mr. Jones.

The Vikings need a competent veteran quarterback. Prior to getting fired, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talked about the quarterback issue. Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski have since echoed a similar sentiment, talking openly about the apparent need to shore up the QB spot.

What’s also needed in Minnesota (urgently) is to crush the draft. Trading away a pick for a passer thus looks like a “stealing from Peter to pay for Paul” situation. Much preferable would be filling the QB need without losing draft picks.

Indeed, shipping out a precious pick — or, quite possibly, a talented receiver — is a tough pill to swallow. Not impossible, but not the first choice.

Already, the NFL is seeing trades take place. The Vikings appear likely to get into the action before too long, but the Mac Jones rumor may end up being much ado about nothing.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Akwa United FC midfielder Paulinus Okon has promised to give even more as the Promise Keepers push for promotion back to the Nigeria Premier Football League.

Okon made the pledge after a man-of-the-match winning performance, scoring twice in Akwa United’s 2-0 victory over First Bank in a Nigeria National League matchday 12 fixture at the Uyo Township Stadium on Sunday, March 1.

Speaking after the game, the University of Uyo First Class graduate of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering expressed his delight at seeing his hard work pay off.

“I feel grateful. The hard work, the mentality, the efforts, today you can see the result. It has paid off,” Paulinus Okon said.

The midfielder also praised head coach Paul Offor for helping him improve his game since joining the club.

“I want to thank Coach Paul Offor for continuously pushing me. I was not like this when I came to Akwa United, but he has been telling me to do more and today it’s showing.”

On the team’s ambition to return to the NPFL, Paulinus Okon made his target clear.

“I want to put in all the effort to ensure this team returns to the NPFL,” he stated.

Despite playing as a midfielder, Okon is now Akwa United’s leading scorer this season with four goals. He opened his account against First Bank in Lagos in December, added another goal against Stormers in January, and grabbed a brace again against First Bank on Sunday.

“I want to score as many goals as possible to ensure this team succeeds. I am ready to do whatever is legitimate. The effort in training and off it, I want to put in more to ensure Akwa United returns to the NPFL,” he added.

Paulinus Okon also spoke about how he combined football with his studies to graduate with a First Class degree.

“Nothing on earth is impossible as long as you put your mind to it. What you need to do is to tell the universe, this is what I want to achieve. Before gaining admission into the university, I was in an academy and I said I wanted to succeed in football and also in my education. Thanks be to God that I graduated with a First Class degree and today I am growing in my football career.”

It was also a special afternoon for Paulinus Okon off the pitch, as his mother and siblings watched him from the stands. After he was presented with the Ibom Air/Akwa United Man-of-the-Match award, his family joined him on the pitch to celebrate the memorable performance.

Akwa United’s win extended their lead at the top of the NNL Conference B standings to four points.

The Promise Keepers will next travel to face Osun United in a matchday 13 fixture this weekend as they continue their push for promotion back to the NPFL.

READ MORE:Paul Offor Sends Message to Akwa United Fans After Victory Over First Bank