Arizona State beat Kansas 24-17 at Wembley, but the first Union Jack Classic revealed why college football means far more than the final score.
I’ve always loved the idea of College Football, but watching it unfold at Wembley gave me a completely different appreciation for what it means to the people involved.
The first-ever Union Jack Classic brought College Football teams Arizona State Sun Devils and Kansas Jayhawks to London, with more than 46,000 people filling Wembley to watch a sport that, for many British fans, is still relatively new.
@forfitnesssake NFL or College Football 🤔 #nfl #collegefootball #fyp #london #football ♬ Summer Vibes – GRLN
What struck me most wasn’t just the size of the occasion. It was the culture behind it.
College football feels like football in its purest form. Before the money, before the fame and before the NFL, you have young people chasing a dream while studying, working towards a degree and developing themselves away from the field.
These players are 18 to 22 years old, university student-athletes. They are at a hugely important stage of their lives, figuring out who they are and where they want to go, and they are doing it together.
That sense of community is what makes college football so different.
It isn’t just the players. Coaches, analysts, strength and conditioning staff, musicians, photographers, videographers, writers, cheerleaders, supporters and families all become part of the same university environment. It creates togetherness
I spoke to Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham about the responsibility of developing players not just as footballers, but as people and young men.
@forfitnesssake Kenny Dillingham on developing College Athletes 🙌🏈 #collegefootball #arizonastate #kennydillingham #fyp #sundevils ♬ original sound – For Fitness Sake
“It’s critical, it’s why we are here. They have just got to do something they have never done. My Mum has never been to London until this trip, so think about that!
“We just gave 18- to 22-year-olds an experience. They have seen another part of the world and how different people operate; it’s how you build people. It’s important for them to be college athletes; for this week these guys were college athletes, and that was really fun to watch.”
That really summed up what I loved about the occasion. Arizona State had brought families across; coaches’ wives and children were experiencing London, and some players were travelling outside America for the first time.
I even met one fan who had never left the United States before, with this being their first international trip.
Kansas started brilliantly when Tate Nagy returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, but Arizona State responded and led 10-7 at halftime. The Sun Devils then exploded out of the blocks after the break, with Jaren Hamilton returning the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
What a moment for him, on the Wembley field, on the international stage that many of these players will never forget.
Hamilton, known as ‘Turbo’, was one of the standout characters of the day.
@forfitnesssake Jaren Hamilton reflecting after his 100 yard Touchdown! #arizonastate #jarenhamilton #sundevils #collegefootball #fyp ♬ original sound – For Fitness Sake
Arizona State then extended their lead after Hyrum Vaeono’s 77-yard fumble return set up another score.
Kansas fought back late, but Arizona State held on for a 24-17 victory.
I also got the chance to speak with Kansas head coach Lance Leipold after the game. Understandably disappointed, he spoke with real clarity about what needed to change, saying that “in all phases we have to do better” while they continue to find their strengths with what he described, in professional terms, as a rookie quarterback.
What stood out to me was the way he handled the disappointment. Before leaving the press conference room, Leipold stopped to thank everyone for their work, for travelling to London, and wished everyone a safe journey home. It was a small moment, but one that reflected the wider respect surrounding the occasion.
Afterwards, I spoke with Arizona State’s Jaren Hamilton and I asked: what was the one thing he wanted British fans to know about college football?
College football is the most authentic, real and best passion you will see. I compare it to the World Cup; how people will die for it! I feel like I want the world to zone in on us. It’s fun and exciting; the passion which everyone brings it’s a part of the year that’s like no other.”
History made! This wasn’t simply a college football game at Wembley. It was an introduction to an entire culture – one built around community, education, ambition, family and the pursuit of a dream.
Hopefully, it’s only the beginning of college football finding an even bigger audience on this side of the Atlantic.
