'It's A Business Trip... But It's Going to be crazy': Arizona State's Players Can't Wait for Their Wembley Moment

By Simon Carroll

For some Arizona State players, September’s Union Jack Classic won’t simply mark the opening chapter of a new Big 12 football season.

It will be the first stamp in their passport.

When the Sun Devils arrive at Wembley Stadium to face Kansas in one of the most anticipated games of the 2026 college football calendar, thousands of fans will see one of the Big 12’s most exciting programs taking centre stage. For several members of Kenny Dillingham’s squad, however, the trip represents something even bigger: the chance to experience another country for the very first time.

That sense of excitement was impossible to ignore during Arizona State’s media availability at Big 12 Media Days.

“It’s super exciting just to play the game that we’ve been playing our whole life in another country,” tight end Khamari Anderson said. “It’s gonna be crazy just to get to introduce American football to everybody who hasn’t seen it there.”

The Sun Devils understand that they won’t simply be representing Arizona State in London. They’ll be ambassadors for college football itself.

While the NFL has spent decades building a passionate following across the United Kingdom, opportunities for British fans to witness major college football programmes in person remain rare. That responsibility isn’t lost on Arizona State’s players.

Offensive tackle Jalen Clemm believes the atmosphere inside Wembley will provide the perfect showcase for a sport unlike any other.

“We’re all super excited for the opportunity to go and play in London at such an iconic stadium,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase American football, especially college football specifically, because there’s really nothing like it.”

Sunny Outlook for the Sun Devils

Clemmā€™s confidence isn’t reserved solely for the occasion.

There is a quiet belief running through the Sun Devils’ locker room that this team is capable of making another run at the top of the Big 12.

Arizona State surprised much of the country during its run to the expanded College Football Playoff two seasons ago, and although the roster has undergone significant change since then, the players insist the foundations remain as strong as ever.

For Clemm, the biggest improvement has come long before the opening kickoff:

“I think the biggest step forward we’ve taken is just the chemistry that we’ve created this offseason,” he explained. “We’ve got a couple of new guys in our group, but we’ve got a lot of young guys that don’t have a ton of experience. I think we had a really good spring.”

That chemistry has become one of the defining themes throughout Arizona State’s offseason.

The Sun Devils welcomed a number of transfers while asking younger players to step into more prominent roles. Rather than seeing uncertainty, the players describe a locker room that has quickly bonded around a shared goal.

“I think one thing for me is just how close we’ve become as a team,” Clemm continued. “Everybody blended into the locker room really, really well. Then just the depth that we have at so many different positions is really going to be key for us trying to make another run.”

Anderson echoed those thoughts, pointing instead to the programme’s consistency under Dillingham.

“I feel like that’s been a big thing in our offseason,” he said. “Just staying committed to the process, no matter the results. Getting to showcase all the work we’ve been putting inā€”I think it’s going to be super fun.”

'We've got to be able to run that Football'

The phrase ā€“ ā€˜the processā€™ – has become something of a calling card for this Arizona State programme. Players repeatedly referenced the culture inside the building rather than individual accolades or preseason expectations.

Perhaps nowhere is that mindset clearer than in the running back room.

With Cam Skattebo now in the NFL and Raleek Brown having moved on, senior Kyson Brown steps into a leadership role within a young backfield. Rather than discussing statistics or personal milestones, Brown immediately focused on identity.

“We preach we run tough, we run hard,” he said. “We’re going to get those tough yards, we’re going to make big plays. That’s what we want this running game to symbolise this year.”

Brown also highlighted just how versatile he hopes to be in Arizona State’s offense.

“I’m a very dynamic playmaker,” he smiled. “You’ll see me lined up at receiver, in the backfield, maybe Wildcat. I pride myself on being versatile.”

Establishing the run, he believes, will unlock everything else offensively.

“We want to establish that run to open up everything. We’ve got to be able to run that football.”

Business Trip

A similar physical mentality extends to Arizona Stateā€™s defense.

Safety Lyrik Rawls arrives in Tempe after previous stops at Oklahoma State and Kansas, giving him the unique distinction of having played for Mike Gundy, Lance Leipold and now Kenny Dillingham.

Asked how Arizona State’s head coach compares with his previous mentors, Rawls didn’t hesitate.

“He’s very energetic, very real,” Rawls said. “He shoots us straight. He doesn’t sugarcoat nothing. That’s something I respect about him.”

His familiarity with Kansas will naturally become a storyline ahead of the Wembley showdown, but Rawls made it equally clear that once Arizona State lands in London, sentiment will quickly disappear.

“It’s a wonderful trip to go take,” he said. “But it’s a business trip. We’re going to go see how everything looks and then we’re going to get right back to practice.”

Brown quickly nodded in agreement.

“It’s definitely an amazing experience to travel to another country and experience a different environment,” he added. “But it’s going to be a business trip at the end of the day. We’re going to come down there and handle business.”

An Experience of a Lifetime

Balancing the experience of London versus the task at hand may become Arizona State’s biggest challenge when they head to London.

Wembley Stadium promises unforgettable memories, world-famous surroundings and an opportunity few college athletes ever receive. Yet the Sun Devils know the game itself carries significant weight within an unforgiving Big 12 race.

Still, once the helmets come off, many players are already thinking about everything they’ll experience away from the field.

For Anderson, London represents only the second time he has travelled outside the United States.

“I’d say just new experiences,” he said. “I’ve been out the country one other time besides travelling through Canada, so just experiencing new things and seeing what y’all culture is like.”

Clemm’s trip will be even more memorable.

“I’ve actually never left the country before,” he admitted. “Going to London is going to be my first time. I’m really excited to experience the culture of a different country. I’ve heard a ton of good things about London. Nobody I’ve heard that’s ever been there has said something bad about it.”

Those comments underline exactly why the Union Jack Classic matters.

For British supporters, it is a rare opportunity to experience elite college football without crossing the Atlantic. For Arizona State, it is a chance to strengthen an expanding international profile.

For the players themselves, though, the occasion is something far more personal. It is an opportunity to represent their university, their conference and their sport on one of the world’s most iconic stages.

Yes, they’ll take photographs. Yes, they’ll create memories that last a lifetime. But if there’s one message repeated throughout Arizona State’s media sessions, it was this: enjoy the experience once the final whistle blows.

Until then, Wembley is simply the office.

BE A PART OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY

Tickets to watch theĀ Sun Devils against the Jayhawks in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Saturday September 19 can be purchased now via theĀ Union Jack Classic website

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SIMON CARROLL

Lead Writer, Head of Content

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION and is college football writer for dazn.

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