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Quarterback prospect Trae Taylor, one of the top passers in the 2027 recruiting class, announced his commitment to Nebraska on Thursday.

A coveted recruit from Mundelein, Illinois, Taylor becomes the first player committed to the Huskers in the 2027 cycle, giving his verbal pledge roughly 20 months before he is eligible to formally sign. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound pocket passer follows Ohio State pledge Brady Edmunds as the second elite quarterback prospect to announce his 2027 commitment.

Taylor chose the Cornhuskers over Illinois, LSU and Texas A&M. He is the son of former Eastern Illinois running back J.R. Taylor, who ran for 51 touchdowns as a college teammate of four-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo from 1999 to 2002.

Trae Taylor threw for 3,061 yards with 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as a sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School last fall. His commitment comes days after he spent time with Huskers quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas and starting quarterback Dylan Raiola during his latest visit.

“Sitting down with Coach Thomas and getting into the offense, seeing how he coaches Dylan and how he can prepare me for the next level — I really just can’t wait,” Taylor told ESPN. “For me, it’s kind of hard committing too early because I have to wait so long to get there.”

Despite his early pledge, Taylor has had a lengthy recruitment — with him estimating he’s visited as many as 70 campuses since attending college camps as a sixth grader. Taylor received his first Division I scholarship offer from Maryland a year later.

A smooth throwing motion and standout footwork and accuracy later turned Taylor into one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2027 class.

After visiting Nebraska on March 27, Taylor next went to Texas A&M. He told ESPN that the attention he received from the Huskers immediately after he visited the Aggies — paired with Nebraska’s offensive scheme under coach Matt Rhule — was part of the connection that ultimately helped sway his commitment to the Huskers.

“The day after I got home from A&M, I was in contact with one of Coach Rhule, Coach Thomas and Dylan [Raiola] every day for the next two weeks before I decided this was where I needed to be,” he said. “Everybody in that building has made it clear that they want me. Their offense fits me the best — very pro-style. Any quarterback who wants to go to the NFL can be successful there.”

Nearly two years out from the early signing period, Taylor said he doesn’t intend to visit campuses other than Nebraska, but he said he will continue contact with other programs. He is expected to remain a top target for the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Illinois and LSU, among others.

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday.

Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay.

This time, he knew right away.

Sovereignty won by 1½ lengths and snapped an 0-for-13 Derby skid for owner Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty covered 1¼ miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds.

Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside. He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away.

Baeza was third, Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

FORT WORTH, Texas — Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old driver already with two NASCAR Xfinity Series race wins, will miss Saturday’s race at Texas because of lower back injuries sustained in a last-lap wreck at Talladega.

Trackhouse Racing said Wednesday that its development driver will return as soon as possible to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The team didn’t provide any additional details about Zilisch’s injuries.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will drive the No. 88 in Texas. After that, the Xfinity Series has a two-week break before racing again May 24 at Charlotte.

Zilisch, sixth in points through the first 11 races, was driving for the win at Talladega Superspeedway when contact on the backstretch sent his car spinning, and head-on into inside wall.

Zilisch won in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen last Sept. 14. He added another win this year at Austin, the same weekend that he made his Cup Series debut. He has six top-10 finishes in his 15 Xfinity races.

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23XI, Front Row ask judge to toss NASCAR claim

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23XI, Front Row ask judge to toss NASCAR claim

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The two teams suing NASCAR asked a judge to dismiss the sanctioning body’s counterclaim in court Wednesday.

In a 20-page filing in district court in North Carolina, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports opposed NASCAR’s motion to amend its original counterclaim. The teams argued that the need to amend the counterclaim further demonstrates the weakness of NASCAR’s arguments, calling them an attempt by NASCAR to distract and shift attention away from its own unlawful, monopolistic actions.

NASCAR’s counterclaim singled out Michael Jordan’s longtime business manager, Curtis Polk. Jordan is co-owner of 23XI Racing.

The legal battle began after more than two years of negotiations on new charter agreements — NASCAR’s equivalent of a franchise model — and the 30-page filing contends that Polk “willfully” violated antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the most recent charter agreements.

23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams last September in a take-it-or-leave-it offer a mere 48 hours before the start of NASCAR’s playoffs.

The charters were fought for by the teams ahead of the 2016 season and twice have been extended. The latest extension is for seven years to match the current media rights deal and guarantee 36 of the 40 spots in each week’s field to the teams that hold the charters, as well as other financial incentives. 23XI and Front Row refused to sign and sued, alleging NASCAR and the France family that owns the stock car series are a monopoly.

NASCAR already has lost one round in court in which the two teams have been recognized as chartered organizations for the 2025 season as the legal dispute winds through the courts. NASCAR has also appealed a judge’s rejection of its motion to dismiss the case.

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