Arizona State Sun Devils take the Wembley honors as college football comes to London
LONDON — Arizona State brought home the first Union Jack Classic trophy, Kansas brought home a long list of missed opportunities, and 46,523 spectators at Wembley got a useful introduction to college football: the team moving the ball best does not necessarily win.
The Sun Devils beat the Jayhawks 24–17 on September 19 in London’s first FBS game, opening their Big 12 campaign with a victory built on three takeaways, a 100-yard kickoff return and a defensive lineman’s unlikely contribution to the sightseeing. Hyrum Vaeono covered 77 yards with a recovered fumble. Unfortunately for him, the end zone was another two yards away.
For an international audience, there was plenty to enjoy even when the offenses struggled. Two return touchdowns and a late Kansas recovery kept the game interesting, while the occasion offered a different version of American football from the professional game familiar to Wembley crowds. College football had brought its own traditions and an actual conference contest, with something substantial at stake for both teams.
Arizona State improved to 2–1 overall and 1–0 in the Big 12. Kansas slipped to 1–2 and 0–1, despite outgaining the winners 414 yards to 228 and collecting 22 first downs to ASU’s 13. Those numbers will make the flight home feel longer.
Sun Devils answer before halftime
Carson Smith opened the scoring with a 39-yard field goal before Tate Nagy gave Kansas its first lead, taking a punt back 72 yards in the second quarter. With the Jayhawks ahead 7–3, Arizona State found a crucial answer just before halftime. Cutter Boley hit Reed Harris for a 25-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining, sending the Sun Devils into the break up 10–7.
Kansas barely had time to resume work before Jaren Hamilton returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards. In the space of two scoring plays either side of halftime, a four-point Jayhawks advantage had become a 10-point deficit.
Vaeono turns another mistake into points
The decisive defensive intervention followed early in the fourth quarter. Dylan Edwards lost a fumble and Vaeono carried it to the Kansas two-yard line. Boley finished the short drive with a one-yard sneak for a 24–7 lead. For an offense that managed just 95 passing yards all afternoon, being handed that sort of field position was rather helpful.
Kansas did make Arizona State finish the job. Isaiah Marshall found Nagy for a 38-yard touchdown with 6:52 left, and Martin Connington’s 46-yard field goal reduced the margin to seven with 3:51 remaining. Boley then supplied the late scramble for a first down that helped close out the victory.
Boley completed 11 of 23 passes, with Harris catching four for 48 yards. Kyson Brown worked for his 81 rushing yards on 24 carries. Marshall finished 17 of 33 for 235 yards, a touchdown and an interception, adding 52 yards on the ground. Edwards led Kansas with 89 rushing yards.
Defense carries Arizona State
ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham knew which unit deserved the credit. He praised a defense that produced three takeaways and repeatedly rescued an offense troubled by the Kansas defensive front. Owen Long’s 12 tackles, interception and forced fumble helped explain how the Sun Devils won a game in which they spent so much time struggling to move the ball.
Dillingham’s satisfaction with the result did not disguise the work ahead. He told The State Press that the running game needed to improve. Wembley provided a memorable setting, but the familiar business of blocking and sustaining drives will follow his team back to Arizona.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold took responsibility for the defeat while pointing to a defensive performance that gave his team every chance. Holding an opponent below 100 passing yards should usually come with a happier ending. He also welcomed Marshall’s response, although offensive inconsistency and mounting injuries at running back remained concerns. Edwards earned praise for taking on more responsibility in a depleted group.
London trip delivers more than a game
On the value of coming overseas, the coaches were much closer together. Leipold appreciated the hospitality and the experience despite the result. Dillingham had made a point of including all 105 players and staff families, treating the journey as an opportunity the whole program should share.
“You’re bringing them out here to get a once-in-a-lifetime experience with their teammates,” Dillingham told The State Press. Hamilton’s appreciation of London’s architecture offered a small indication that the players had taken something from the visit beyond practice and meetings.
That matters when assessing these international games. The conference gets exposure and the supporters get a spectacle, but the players also get to see somewhere they might otherwise never visit. Dillingham understood that part of the assignment. His defense made sure the souvenirs included a trophy.
Scoring summary
Arizona State 24, Kansas 17
1st quarter
ASU — Carson Smith 39-yard field goal. ASU 3–0.
2nd quarter
KU — Tate Nagy 72-yard punt return (Martin Connington kick). KU 7–3. ASU — Reed Harris 25-yard pass from Cutter Boley (Smith kick). ASU 10–7.
3rd quarter
ASU — Jaren Hamilton 100-yard kickoff return (Smith kick). ASU 17–7.
4th quarter
ASU — Boley 1-yard run (Smith kick). ASU 24–7. KU — Nagy 38-yard pass from Isaiah Marshall (Connington kick). ASU 24–14. KU — Connington 46-yard field goal. ASU 24–17.
