The 24-team Playoff continues to be discussed as a potential option for the sport as early as 2027.
Would the G6 have realistic options to get two, or even three, teams into the Playoff?
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin discusses schedule changes across the sport, including Florida State and Georgia.
Is Mike Norvell making the right move by getting the Bulldogs for one less game?
Texas Tech is likely to have the best defense in the Big 12 again in 2026, along with BYU.
Which other units are going to help their teams push for a conference title?
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00:00 Expanded college football playoffs discussion 03:26 Avengers Endgame and playoff rankings 07:35 Importance of competitive scheduling 15:39 Neutral site games controversy 18:16 Mike Norvell’s program strategy 23:45 Predicting strong defenses in the Big 12 30:09 Discussing Texas Tech and BYU game
Federico Valverde could face an exit from Real Madrid this summer and Manchester United are understood to be considering a move for the Uruguay international
The incident left Valverde requiring hospital treatment for concussion, ruling him out for the rest of the season. The Real vice-captain was compelled to release a public statement and issued a grovelling apology.
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However, it is understood that club officials remain furious with the midfielder and will look to offload him this summer. To compound matters, senior figures in the Real dressing room have rallied behind Tchouameni and are pushing for Valverde to be moved on ahead of next season.
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United are monitoring the situation at the Bernabeu closely.
The Old Trafford club are eager to strengthen their midfield options this summer and have also registered an interest in Tchouameni.
However, the French World Cup winner is reportedly reluctant to depart Real, buoyed by the backing his club has shown him following his clash with Valverde.
Whether Valverde himself would be open to a move to United remains to be seen.
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The Uruguay international is contracted until 2029 and would command a substantial transfer fee – although the Reds’ finances will be boosted by their qualification for the Champions League. The potential sales of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Manuel Ugarte will also help matters for the Reds.
United have made the signing of two top-quality midfielders a priority this summer.
Casemiro is set to depart Old Trafford at the end of the season, while United are also expected to sell Ugarte to the highest bidder. United’s potential midfield targets include Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, Tchouameni and now Valverde.
The 27-year-old has earned 73 caps for his country and is set to feature in Uruguay’s squad for this summer’s World Cup across North America.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to introduce stricter disciplinary and access-control measures in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following a series of incidents that have raised concerns within the board over security and anti-corruption protocol violations. “We are forced to issue guidelines in this season of IPL. We saw many incidents which makes the board uncomfortable. We are in talks with IPL franchises to ensure no untoward incidents happen again. There has been lots of indiscipline in this IPL,” a BCCI source told ANI on Tuesday.
The fresh development comes days after BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that the board was framing new regulations to control player access and restrict unauthorised interactions in hotels, team buses and other designated secure areas during the tournament.
Speaking in Lucknow last week, Shukla said the measures were aimed at ensuring transparency and strengthening the integrity framework around the league.
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“The access that the players have will be controlled; unauthorised people will not be allowed to meet the players, neither in hotels nor on buses, to ensure the transparency of the IPL,” he had said.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also expressed concern over what he termed “anomalies and irregularities” involving players, franchise officials and outsiders during the tournament.
According to Saikia, the board observed several instances of unauthorised individuals accompanying team members, entering team hotels and even accessing players’ and officials’ rooms, actions deemed to be in direct violation of the IPL’s anti-corruption protocols.
He further noted that certain franchise owners and officials were seen interacting with players in restricted zones where such meetings are prohibited under tournament regulations.
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The ongoing season has already witnessed disciplinary action in multiple cases. Riyan Parag, captain of Rajasthan Royals, was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed a demerit point after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room during a match against Punjab Kings.
In another incident, Rajasthan Royals manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder was fined Rs 1 lakh for using a mobile phone near the dugout during a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Matheus Cunha broke the deadlock at Old Trafford just six minutes in, before Sesko added a second merely eight minutes later. While United went into the interval with a comfortable lead, Liverpool demonstrated resilience to restore parity early in the second-half – Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo bringing the scores level.
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A draw for Arne Slot’s outfit might have been a respectable outcome given United’s recent form, but fortune dictated otherwise. Kobbie Mainoo netted the winner with only 13 minutes of regulation time left to guarantee all three points stayed in Greater Manchester.
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Yet some Liverpool supporters will have felt aggrieved, particularly given the controversy surrounding Sesko’s strike. Luke Shaw whipped the ball into the penalty area, with Bruno Fernandes nodding it back across goal towards the Slovenian forward.
While Freddie Woodman managed to get a hand to it and disrupt its path, the ball eventually ricocheted off Sesko’s torso and over the line. Close-up footage appeared to show the ball brushing Sesko’s fingertips before crossing the goal line, with VAR analysing whether a handball had occurred.
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Following a significant delay, play continued with United leading Liverpool 2-0, much to the frustration of Reds players and supporters watching on. Webb has since explained that VAR were correct to permit the goal, given the lack of conclusive evidence that an infringement had occurred.
Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, the 54-year-old said: “I think the clip kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it, really? I’m pretty much with you. I think it probably does hit the hand. But of course, the VARs need that conclusivity. They need to be absolutely certain that it does.
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“And it doesn’t matter what we think, does it? It matters what they think. And we do ask them to be sure that something needs acting upon. Clearly, Sesko doesn’t deliberately handle this. He doesn’t make himself bigger. It’s all very natural.
“But, of course, the Laws of the Game require any goal that comes off the hand immediately, or where the player scores immediately after hitting the arm, then it has to be disallowed, and that means the VAR has no option but to start looking for that.
“Sometimes it looks like they’re being a bit too forensic, and you hear, in this situation, the VAR looking from various angles. They want to get it right.
“If it does conclusively come off the arm, but they don’t get to that level of certainty, they probably think it probably does as well, but they need to be absolutely categorical to get involved, and they weren’t able to find it, and hence the reason that the on-field decision stood.”
Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo have been key players for Manchester United this season under interim head coach Michael Carrick
Casemiro has admitted it is difficult to offer advice to teammate Kobbie Mainoo amid the growing influence of social media. The Manchester United midfield duo have been key to the club’s revival under interim head coach Michael Carrick.
United have qualified for the Champions League and are on track to finish third under their temporary boss. The Reds have lost just twice since Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim in January, with both Casemiro and Mainoo regular starters under the former Middlesbrough manager.
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And it appears that Real Madrid legend Casemiro has been using his experience to guide Mainoo, 21, in a bid to drive standards. The 34-year-old will leave Old Trafford this summer after four seasons at M16.
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The Brazilian has now spoken to former Reds centre-back Rio Ferdinandon his podcast about how he is advising the England international.
When Ferdinand put to him that you can’t be as strong with young players [these days], he said: “I try, I try, but the phone, the social media is very difficult because everyone sees on the phone, nah, you play good.
“You think, ‘ah, you play good. Yeah, it’s top, it’s top.’
“And I try every day about this with Kobbie. He’s an unbelievable player. But he needs to train, train, train. He needs fear – I play, I don’t play.
“I need to push the training because this guy is the present and the future of the club.”
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Casemiro was then asked about Mainoo’s previous struggle for game time under ex-Reds boss Amorim. The young star did not start a single Premier League match this season before Amorim’s exit.
He added: “Yes. I talk to him about this, and because I love Kobbie. In this moment, he doesn’t play too much. Maybe it’s the first time he doesn’t play, but it’s not the last.
“You don’t need to drop your head. You need change. How? I don’t know. Work. Work. Work.
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“Talk with the manager about what you need. I go with Amorim. I do what I need to, to play. I can’t play in this team because I need this, this, this. Okay. I try, but it’s not the last time.
“He’s very easy. He’s slow. He’s a calm guy. Very calm. But for me this guy is the present in the football club. This guy is an unbelievable player.”
Megan Rapinoe is back at it again, defending Angel Reese’s decision to duck the media and “protect her peace.” Dan Dakich isn’t buying it. Since when is skipping out on the job “taking power back”? Dan breaks down why the modern sports culture of “all empowerment, no accountability” is a disease that’s actually hurting the growth of women’s sports.
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Jason Collins, a longtime NBA role player who became widely known in 2013 as the first openly gay active player in a major American sports league, died Tuesday at age 47.
Collins passed away following an eight-month battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer he had been fighting since last August.
The ex-center’s death comes as the NBA is also mourning Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, 29, with the losses unfolding within a short span.
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Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins conducts a radio interview following a 108-102 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2014.(Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins warms up before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis., on March 1, 2014.(Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement on Tuesday regarding the loss:
“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations. He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador.
“Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others. On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
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Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets plays against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 2, 2014.(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Collins built a long NBA career as a role-playing center. The 7-footer out of Stanford averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds across 13 seasons and was primarily used in defensive and physical matchups.
Collins saw rotational minutes for the New Jersey Nets during their back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
In 2013, Collins drew national attention when he came out in a first-person essay for Sports Illustrated, becoming the first active NBA player to do so. He returned to play one final season with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014 before later serving as an NBA Cares Ambassador.
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Collins is survived by his husband, film producer Brunson Green, and his twin brother, Jarron, who followed a similar path through Stanford and the NBA.
Former pro-basketball player Jason Collins, the first active male athlete on a major American professional team sport to come out as gay, has died aged 47.
Collins died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, his family said in a statement shared by the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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He announced last year that he had been diagnosed with the cancer and was undergoing treatment to stop the spread of the inoperable disease.
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“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Tuesday.
“Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others,” Silver added.
Collins said in December 2025 that the cancer was discovered after he was struggling to focus.
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The brain tumour, he said, was like “a monster with tentacles spreading across the underside of my brain the width of a baseball”.
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Without treatment, he would be dead within three months, doctors told Collins.
When revealing his diagnosis to the world, he said it reminded him of his decision to publicly come out as gay in 2013 in a front-page cover story for Sports Illustrated. The years since were “the best of my life”, he said.
“Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self, unafraid to be your true self, in public or private. This is me. This is what I’m dealing with.”
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Collins was being treated with a drug called Avastin to slow the tumour’s growth, and had been travelling to Singapore for a targeted form of chemotherapy.
The California native played for six teams in his 13 seasons in the NBA. He had previously been featured on Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people list. He retired in 2014.
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” his family said on Tuesday.
He started his coming out essay for Sports Illustrated in 2013, by writing: “I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m Black and I’m gay.”
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He was a free agent at the time the essay was published, and so it remained unclear whether coming out would end his NBA career.
While there were significant developments for the gay rights movement by then, gay marriage was not legalized across the US until 2015.
Collins went on to re-join the Brooklyn Nets, where he started his career, and became the first openly-gay athlete to ever play across any of the major four US sports leagues.
Feb 6, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna (51) signs autographs during Super Bowl Opening Night at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings may or may not need an extra outside linebacker; that depends on the team’s early plan for rookie Jake Golday, who, in theory, could be used as the OLB3. But if interim general manager Rob Brzezinski wants a veteran free agent, well, the market shrank Monday again as the Buffalo Bills grabbed Mike Danna off the wire.
One more veteran pass rusher disappeared. The Vikings’ options are getting thinner.
Minnesota still has veteran OLB alternatives to explore, but Danna is off the board.
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Minnesota May Have to Move Quickly for EDGE Help
Danna heads to a contender.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna speaks to reporters on Feb. 5, 2025, at the New Orleans Marriott ahead of Super Bowl LIX. Danna entered the championship week as one of Kansas City’s experienced defensive contributors after carving out a reliable rotational role in Steve Spagnuolo’s aggressive front over multiple playoff runs. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
BUF Signs Danna
Danna has a new NFL home after six seasons in Kansas City. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg wrote Monday, “The Bills added a familiar former opponent to the roster, signing outside linebacker Mike Danna to a one-year deal Monday, the team announced. Danna, 28, had played the last six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, who released him Feb. 23 in a move to create salary cap space ahead of the new league year.”
“During his time with the Chiefs, he faced the Bills in five regular-season games and four postseason matchups. In the AFC Championship Game during the 2024 season, Danna recorded his only sack against Buffalo — a strip sack on Josh Allen that the quarterback recovered.”
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Danna joins a Super Bowl contender, while the Vikings’ presumptive search for an extra pass rusher dwindles.
Danna’s Production and Resume
Danna entered the business in 2020 as a 5th-Round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s stuck around since. In terms of longevity, he’s the Vikings’ version of safety Josh Metellus if Metellus had signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, for example, this offseason.
Danna is basically the perfect guy for situational pass rushing, perhaps the Bills’ version of D.J. Wonnum from Vikings’ squads of yesteryear.
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The Bills’ OLBs
Buffalo actually has some fantastic EDGE depth, onboarding three or four reputable outside linebackers this offseason. They’re serious and are in it to win it in 2026:
Here’s the current OLB group:
Bradley Chubb
Greg Rousseau
Michael Danna
T.J. Parker
Michael Hoecht
Andre Jones Jr.
Javon Solomon
Cade Denhoff
Parker, a rookie, now has ample time to develop with Danna around as the OLB3.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna runs onto the field before a matchup against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Danna continued developing into a dependable edge defender for the Chiefs, contributing steady pressure, rotational depth, and physicality along Kansas City’s defensive front. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports.
SI.com‘s Alex Brasky on the Danna addition: “While Danna and Solomon may not be roster locks by any means, signing a veteran not named Epenesa or Bosa at this stage is a bit telling, as OnSI’s Randy Gurzi wrote previously, along with highlighting the possibility of Solomon’s ultimate demise.”
“However, if that theory proves incorrect and Bosa and/or Epenesa are welcomed back, that would really spell trouble for Solomon. This is by no means an earth-shattering move, but there are reasons to look more closely at the Bills welcoming a player with Danna’s experience level, which includes Super Bowl experience.”
Brasky added, “We’ll see how it all shakes out, but this can’t be great news for Solomon. One thing that could salvage Solomon’s spot on the roster is Michael Hecht’s ongoing rehab from a season-ending Achilles injury.”
“If Hoecht cannot return in time for Week 1, that would open an additional roster spot for either Danna or the team’s homegrown pass rusher to hold down at least until Hoecht can return from injury.”
Who’s Left for Vikings?
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Upset that Minnesota didn’t score Danna this week or Dante Fowler Jr. last week? Have no fear; the list of available outside linebackers remains impressive. Minnesota could somewhat easily sign one of these men as early as now:
Denico Autry
Derek Barnett
Joey Bosa
Jadeveon Clowney
Marcus Davenport
A.J. Epenesa
Leonard Floyd
Cameron Jordan
Von Miller
Haason Reddick
Kyle Van Noy
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna celebrates after a road victory on Sep. 22, 2024, against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Danna remained part of Kansas City’s deep defensive line rotation, helping the Chiefs maintain one of the NFL’s more disruptive pass-rushing units during the 2024 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.
Floyd might make the most sense. He won a Super Bowl with Kevin O’Connell on the 2021 Los Angeles Rams squad. Van Noy, too, has ties to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores from their days together with the New England Patriots.
Danna will turn 29 in December.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player who went on to become a pioneer for inclusion and an ambassador for the league, has died after an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of a brain tumour, his family announced Tuesday.
Collins spent 13 years as a player in the league for six different franchises. He revealed in 2013 that he was gay, an announcement that came toward the end of his playing career.
Collins had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, which has an extremely low survival rate. He was 47.
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family said in a statement released through the NBA. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
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Just last week, Collins received the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit. He was too ill to attend and his twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted for him.
“I told my brother this before I came here: He’s the bravest, strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron Collins said while accepting that award.
Jason Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in his career. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals and in his best season averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for them in 2004-05.
“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.
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“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
Jason Collins revealed his sexuality in a first-person account for Sports Illustrated in April 2013. He was a free agent at the time, said he wanted to keep playing, and went on to play in 22 games with Brooklyn the following season.
“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he wrote at that time. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”
His decision was widely lauded, with star players such as Kobe Bryant quickly speaking out in support of Collins. There was even support from the White House and then-former President Bill Clinton — whose daughter, Chelsea, went to Stanford with Collins. At Stanford, Collins was roommates with someone who was part of another American political dynasty, that being Joe Kennedy III, who spent eight years in Congress representing Massachusetts.
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Collins, in the piece for Sports Illustrated, wrote that he realized he needed to go public about his sexuality when Kennedy walked in Boston’s gay pride parade in 2012 — but Collins couldn’t do the same.
Until then, Collins kept his feelings about gay rights close to the vest. He wore jersey No. 98 for the majority of his final three playing stints with Boston, Washington and Brooklyn — a nod to the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed. He also wore 46 in one game for the Nets, since it was the only jersey the team had available when he signed.
Collins made nearly 61 per cent of his shots in his career at Stanford, which remains a school record. He was an honourable mention selection for The Associated Press’ All-America team in 2001, a few months before the Houston Rockets took him with the 18th pick in that year’s NBA draft.
“It’s a sad day for all of us associated with Stanford basketball when we lose one of the program’s greats,” former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. “We all have great memories of Jason and the kind of person he was. It’s hard to separate Jarron and Jason because they thought so alike, but even though he was an identical twin, Jason was unique in his own way. The impact he had on Stanford was immense, as he could match up against anyone in the country because he was big, smart, strong and skilled, all while being a very bright and nice person.”
Oct 20, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (42) warms up on the ice before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson was fined $5,000 on Tuesday for butt-ending Wild forward Michael McCarron.
The incident occurred in the first period of Colorado’s 5-2 win at Minnesota on Monday night in Game 4 of their Western Conference second-round series, which the Avalanche lead 3-1.
Manson received a double minor on the play after appearing to jam the butt end of his stick into McCarron’s neck area as they were tangled up on the ice.
“He’s a dirty player. He’s always been,” McCarron told ESPN during a break in the action. “Surprised he got away with a four-minute (penalty).”
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Manson, 34, was making his first appearance since April 23 due to an upper-body injury. He has two assists and eight penalty minutes in four games this postseason after posting 31 points (five goals, 26 assists) and 91 penalty minutes in 79 games in the regular season.
The fine was the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.
Nikita Shulchenco of LCW UAECycling Team in action during the Tour of Luzon. –HANDOUT PHOTO
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Barring a massive disaster, Nikita Shulchenko has the MPTC Tour of Luzon title in the bag.
The Russian rider finished second in the individual time trial on Tuesday, the summer cycling spectacle’s penultimate stage, and built a four-minute cushion against French cyclist Antoine Huby
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“It’s great for me,” said Shulchenko after crossing the finish in 26 minutes and one second amid the scorching heat and windy conditions at Lingayen Baywalk. South Korean ace Min Kyeong-ho beat him by 22 seconds.
Shulchenko crossed the finish in 26 minutes and one second amid the scorching heat and windy conditions at Lingayen Baywalk.
Min ruled the race-against-time format, but that meant little to the LCW UAE Cycle top rider, who built himself a buffer heading into the killer final stage from here to Baguio via Kennon Road, which will feature a climb that is more suitable to Huby’s talents.
Biggest threat
Huby was tagged as a potential challenger for Shulchenko, with mountain stages affording several opportunities to eat up time deficits, but he could not keep pace during the time trial, finishing at 27:21—1:42 behind Min and 1:20 slower than Shulchenko.
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Shulchenko now has an aggregate time of 36:42:22, ahead of the 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines ace by 3:50.
Huby emerged as the biggest threat to Shulchenko’s hold on the yellow jersey when he conquered the difficult climb towards Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem the previous day to move within 2:30 of the Russian.
But a poor finish in the time trial by Huby turned Wednesday’s final stage into a virtual coronation lap for Shulchenko and not the “Battle Royale” that 7-Eleven team manager Ric Rodriguez billed it to be during the Tour’s rest day in Pagudpud last week.
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Huby had beaten Shulchenko in the tough climbs, including the unforgiving Stage 10 at Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, which could have made the final stage more dramatic had the 25-year-old slashed the deficit even more or even just kept pace.
“It’s a nice gap for me, but there’s no reason for me to relax,” Shulchenko said.
The Russian rider has donned the symbolic jersey since Stage 3, and will look to secure the P1 million top prize for the best individual rider of the Tour—which would make a fitting early birthday present.
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Shulchenko will turn 27 on May 31.
His LCW teammate, Ibrahiem Alrefai, is third in the general classification (5:37 behind), while MPT DriveHub’s Nash Lim moved into fourth (8:05 behind) and is now the best Filipino rider.
Fan favorite Mervin Corpuz of 7-Eleven is fifth (+8:54), with Malaysia national team’s Muhammad Mazlin (+9:26) in sixth and 7-Eleven’s Ronnilan Quita (+9:46) seventh.
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Rounding out the top 10 are MPT’s Rustom Lim (+12:19), Seoul’s Jung Woo-ho (+13:30) and Go for Gold Philippines’ Rench Michael Bondoc (+13:54).
Texas Tech is likely to have the best defense in the Big 12 again in 2026, along with BYU. 
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