Wembley Way vibrated with a unique energy before Britain’s first US college football game in nearly 40 years. Steel, muscle, and exuberant whoops filled the air as the Arizona State Sun Devils’ marching band ignited the scene. Their brass instruments swished like searching air raid lights, a stark prelude to the spectacle.
The Kansas Jayhawks’ band soon offered a spirited riposte, drawing cheers from the large crowd outside the stadium. Local fan Ian Taplin, from Milton Keynes, joked with relaxed police officers that they were “glad you are not at Millwall.” This vibrant atmosphere proved the real star across a long three hours and 37 minutes.
The “Union Jack Classic” itself, however, struggled to live up to its billing. Arizona State won 24-17, but the score belied a largely uninspired affair. Fox Sports analyst Chris Fallica told the Guardian this was akin to a lower-tier Premier League match, a prediction soon proved accurate.
Kansas led a dull game 7-3 after Taty Nagy’s 72-yard punt return. Then, a decisive minute around half-time saw Matthew Gill of Kansas slice a 17-yard kick. ASU quarterback Cutter Boley then found Reed Harris for a 25-yard touchdown, making it 10-7. Jaren Hamilton, “Turbo”, then ran a 100-yard kick-off return, increasing the lead to 17-7. He later said he “had a feeling deep in my soul.”
The game was effectively over when 305lb defensive lineman Hyrum Vaeono recovered a fumble. He ran 77 yards to set up a score that made it 24-7. A late Kansas comeback attempt was largely window dressing. Yet, questions lingered about the 46,532 attendance, short of the 60,000 promised by organisers. Wembley’s upper tier remained noticeably empty.
The Big 12 conference, however, sees this as a crucial piece of European brand-building. Chris Fallica confirmed to the Guardian that schools receive financial rewards, but it is also about “exposure” for their international branches. ASU, for instance, used early timeouts to advertise its London Campus, promising “education unlike anything in the UK.”
Brett Yormack, the Big 12 commissioner, hopes for more European games, aiming to announce next year’s Wembley fixture soon. ASU coach Kenny Dillingham described the London experience as “life changing” for his 105 players and their families. He insisted they all came, saying the team “didn’t flinch” at covering costs for a “once in a lifetime experience.”
While the ASU team clearly embraced London, whether Britain’s capital fully reciprocates the love for college football remains an open question. Commissioner Yormack, despite the attendance shortfall, remains confident. “We’re not there yet, but I’m confident we’ll be back,” he stated, concluding, “It’s been fantastic.”
