Overview
- Both Arizona State and Kansas are in London preparing to play at Wembley on Saturday in the inaugural Union Jack Classic with kickoff set for 9:00 a.m. Arizona time and the game airing on FS1.
- The teams used different travel plans: Arizona State flew to London immediately after its Saturday loss to Texas A&M while Kansas left Tuesday and arrived Wednesday, a timing gap that has drawn public criticism from ASU coach Kenny Dillingham.
- Dillingham publicly pressed for more aligned schedules for international games and said he largely sequestered himself on arrival, while Kansas coach Lance Leipold has downplayed any clear advantage from arriving later.
- Arizona State’s trip required months of planning and detailed operations work including July shipping deadlines, equipment transfers through New York, customs paperwork, and special hotel room assignments to accommodate large players.
- Organizers intend the Union Jack Classic to become annual and this game will be watched as a rehearsal for future college internationals that must balance competitive fairness, player experience, and complex logistics.