A prominent advocacy group for college athletes announced Thursday it opposes the $2.8 billion settlement agreement of antitrust litigation facing the NCAA and major college conferences, saying a plan for schools to share athletics revenue will actually limit the earning potential of the athletes.

The National College Players Association said the so-called House settlement aims to eliminate booster-funded collectives that are currently responsible for millions of dollars in payments to college athletes for the right to use their names, images and likenesses.

A court hearing is scheduled for next Thursday, where a federal judge in California could rule on the plaintiffs’ request for preliminary approval of the deal, which includes $2.78 billion in damages to former and current college athletes. Several requests to deny preliminary approval have already been filed, including one from the plaintiffs of another antitrust lawsuit filed in Colorado who declined to be part of the settlement agreement.

Golf

Scheffler takes giant leap toward $25 million FedEx Cup prize >> Scottie Scheffler started the Tour Championship with a two-shot lead based on his dominant season. And then he looked dominant as ever when he posted the best round at 6-under 65 to build a seven-shot lead and take a huge step toward the FedEx Cup title.

Scheffler had five birdies over his last seven holes on a sweltering afternoon at renovated East Lake to pull away from Xander Schauffele and everyone else.

He made birdie from the bunker on the par-5 18th hole with an 8-foot putt and took his spot in the PGA Tour record book with an asterisk. No one has ever led by seven after 18 holes as far back as the tour keeps such records.

The asterisk is because he was only one shot better than Collin Morikawa and four others who each had a 66.

Alex leads FM Championship >> Marina Alex found the TPC Boston much more to her liking by playing bogey-free for a 4-under 68, giving her a one-shot lead in the inaugural FM Championship.

Former U.S. Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Lauren Coughlin, a two-time winner on the LPGA this year, were part of the large group at 69. Both are on the U.S. team for the Solheim Cup in two weeks, and this is their final competition.

Two captain’s picks for the Americans, Lexi Thompson and Sarah Schmelzel, along with Massachusetts native Megan Khang, were at 70.

Tennis

Alcaraz out of US Open >> Carlos Alcaraz’s 15-match Grand Slam unbeaten run ended at the U.S. Open with a sloppy 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 loss to 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round.

Alcaraz won the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July to raise his career total to four major championships, including taking the title at Flushing Meadows in 2022, and was the pre-tournament favorite to leave with the trophy again.

Osaka loses in second round >> Seemingly back in her U.S. Open match, suddenly a point from getting to a third set, Naomi Osaka lost her way, missing forehand after forehand until she ceded that game and chucked her racket, sending it clattering on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Not much later, she was out of the tournament, eliminated 6-3, 7-6 (5) by Karolina Muchova in the second round of an event where Osaka won two of her four Grand Slam titles.

Osaka — once ranked No. 1 but now No. 88 after missing nearly 1 1/2 years because of mental health breaks and time off to have a baby — struggled for much of the early going, dropping five consecutive games and 22 of 26 points in one stretch.

No. 1 seeds Sinner, Swiatek move into the third round >> Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner flashed their No. 1 form with powerful performances that moved them into the third round of the U.S. Open.

Swiatek raced by Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-0, 6-1, winning the first set in just 23 minutes and finishing off the match in 65.

Earlier, Sinner downed Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 in 1 hour, 39 minutes.

College football

Colorado 31, NDSU 26 >> Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns — three to Travis Hunter — and Colorado began Year 2 under Deion Sanders by holding off FCS power North Dakota State.

A 10 1/2-point favorite, the Buffaloes couldn’t shake a pesky Bison team that scored with 2:19 remaining to make things interesting.

Paralympics

Track cyclist Groot wins Games’ first gold >> Track cyclist Caroline Groot of the Netherlands won the first gold medal of the Paralympic Games.

Groot won the final of the 500-meter time trial in women’s track cycling for the C4 and C5 classifications.

Groot won in 35.390 seconds, a world record in C5. French cyclist Marie Patouillet (C5) took the silver for France’s first medal of the Games, and Canada’s Kate O’Brien (C4) took bronze.