LONDON – An astonishing stage with a new challenge awaits the Arizona State Sun Devils (1-1), as they enter Big 12 play on Saturday with a historic matchup against Kansas (1-1) at Wembley Stadium in England.
For Dillingham and Co., the third chapter of its 2026 campaign will begin at 9 a.m. MST, when ASU faces Kansas in the inaugural Union Jack Classic. The contest marks the first-ever college football game played between two FBS teams in England and just the second meeting between the two programs. Arizona State won the first matchup, 35-31, in Tempe during the 2024 season after scoring the deciding touchdown with 16 seconds remaining.
Saturday’s matchup will provide the first conference test of the season for both teams while bringing the Big 12 to an international stage.
Arizona State enters London at 1-1 following a 48-20 loss to now No. 9 Texas A&M last Saturday. Despite the result, quarterback Cutter Boley and the Sun Devil offense produced 369 yards against the Aggies, as Boley finished 21-of-34 for 254 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Wide receiver Reed Harris provided the biggest spark, catching nine passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Harris enters Saturday with more than 325 receiving yards and four touchdowns through two games, giving the Kansas secondary another major challenge.
“It was good for my confidence to start the season like that,” Harris said. “Now I just need to prove to myself that I can be consistent, to everyone else.”
The Sun Devil defense will look to build on a performance in which it held Texas A&M to just 255 yards of total offense. ASU also limited the Aggies to three conversions on 12 third-down attempts, but four turnovers, including two pick-sixes ultimately proved costly in College Station.
On the opposite side of the field, Kansas comes into the matchup with an equal record after falling 38-21 to the Southeastern Conference’s Missouri in the Border Showdown last weekend. Jayhawks quarterback Isaiah Marshall completed 13-of-30 passes for 168 yards, with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, just like Boley. Kansas was held to just 81 rushing yards and surrendered four sacks against the Tigers.
The Jayhawks will also look to establish a rhythm with a receiving corps led by Nik McMillan, who caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown against Missouri. Meanwhile, Kansas’ defense will have to contend with an ASU passing attack that has already shown its ability to create explosive plays through Harris and Omarion Miller, who leads the team in receptions with 17.
And for Dillingham, it will be the first chance to see how his Sun Devils respond to adversity in a new environment. This time more than 5,000 miles from Tempe, and inside one of one of the world’s most recognizable venues.
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