The usual cloudy London sky could do nothing to dampen the excitement in the air with the kickoff of the first-ever college football match at Wembley Stadium.
The Sun Devils defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 24-17, in both teams' conference openers, each team hoping to rebound after week 2 losses to SEC opposition.
The magic of Big Noon Kickoff at the largest stadium in the United Kingdom fueled that spark for ASU's sophomore lineman Hyrum Vaeono's 77-yard fumble return, setting up junior quarterback Cutter Boley's second touchdown of the night.
"Had to take it all the way, big man dream," Vaeono said following the game. "Didn't make it all the way, though."
The Sun Devils' defense stepped up all over the field, playing solid "from the back," familiar to fans of London football club Arsenal.
This was seen most prominently at the end of the first half, with ASU punting from midfield. This worked immensely in the Sun Devils' favor, as a 3-and-out gave them the field position needed to take the lead before half.
"Winning the end of the first half and controlling the ball at the end of the game are what wins games," coach Kenny Dillingham said following the win.
Contrary to last week's loss to Texas A&M, ASU won a game it was outgained. Turnovers plagued the Jayhawks, who gave the ball away three separate times.
While the scoreline was in the Sun Devils' favor, coach Dillingham still looks to make improvements.
"Give me losing the stats and winning the game 100 times out of 100, so I was glad that we found a way to win, even if it was ugly," coach Dillingham said.
The offense certainly had its struggles, with Boley being held to under 100 passing yards and under 0.500 completion percentage. The second half in particular was a struggle for the Sun Devils, with only 81 total yards of offense.
"We've got to be able to run the football," coach Dillingham said. "I think that's really what it boils down to."
But for Dillingham's Sun Devils, his focus was just as much about making sure his athletes enjoyed the experience as a whole.
Arriving straight in London following the loss last week, Dillingham said the players were given "free rein" for the first four days of the trip to enjoy the city.
"You're bringing them out here to not just play a game," Dillingham said. "You're bringing them out here to get a once-in-a-lifetime experience with their teammates"
This helped build the team's spirits ahead of the game, something that was noticed equally by the players.
"I really love architecture; I really love seeing all the colors and just different patterns," senior wide receiver Jaren Hamilton said. "Seeing how all the buildings are, it was like a giant collage."
Overall, the sentiment from players and fans has been embracing American football in London for the first time. Likened to the World Cup, coach Dillingham wants the sport to offer new fans more than just a game.
"I would hope that they not only enjoyed the game, but they enjoyed the pageantry of a college football game," Dillingham said. "All the pageantry that makes college football special and great, I hope people really take that in."
Edited by Char O'Neil and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at aldeutsc@asu.edu and follow @AlanDeutschend3 on X.
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Alan Deutschendorf is a Managing Editor at The State Press. This is his fifth semester, and he previously worked as a sports editor and sports reporter. Alan also works as an event assistant at ASU Health and spent two years playing D1 club roundnet.
