US college football will make history this Saturday as the Kansas Jayhawks take on the Arizona State Sun Devils at London’s Wembley Stadium.
The sport is no stranger to global expansion, with the NFL hosting regular-season games in London since 2007, while Ireland has become the traditional home for the annual College Football Classic at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
In fact, college football ventured abroad long ago, having staged games in Tokyo and Milan during the 1980s, in addition to the notable 2011 Kilimanjaro Bowl held in Tanzania.
From its signature marching bands and iconic tailgating culture to its deep-seated sense of community, the college game is now prepared to display its unique character during the inaugural Union Jack Classic.
“I think I’ve probably had fish and chips four times since I’ve been here so it’s been a nice culture shock,” says Arizona State punter Nick McLarty.
McLarty is perhaps more accustomed to a change in environment than any other player arriving in the UK this week, having grown up in Melbourne, Australia. The 6ft 7in punter originally played Aussie Rules before shifting his focus to a different style of football.
“It’s my first time coming to London,” he said.” It’s funny, I was on the phone with mum before and actually didn’t tell her so the first time she found out was this morning. It’s been a lot of fun.
“I have a brother who is pretty big into soccer and when he found out I was playing at Wembley he was beside himself and it’s been fun going round to Buckingham Palace.
“The people and the accent [has been a nice change], I’ve been so used to the American accent, it’s been a nice touch of reality for what the rest of the world is like to be able to speak to other people.”
Wembley is expected to host 60,000 spectators this weekend as both teams enter the matchup with 1-1 records; Kansas is coming off a 38-21 loss to Missouri, while the Sun Devils recently fell 48-20 to Texas A&M.
For many of the athletes, this trip marks their first time traveling outside the United States, with Kansas head coach Lance Leipold describing the event as a “lifetime” opportunity.
Leipold previously served as a graduate assistant for Wisconsin when the Badgers participated in the 1993 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo.
“[That] is when you really get to think about what you did, and something that you talk about with your friends and team-mates for a lifetime. And that’s partially what I’m hoping for,” Leipold said this week.
“I think even though we have so many things going on in college athletics, that we should not take away experiences such as this if they’re afforded to you, and try to make the most of it. I think it’s something that we’re looking forward to.”
The pre-game tailgate is set to begin at 10am along Wembley Way, with 15,000 fans traveling from the US to help foster an authentic college football atmosphere.
“I grew up playing soccer, one of my old coaches who played for Everton always talked about playing at Wembley and scoring a goal there so it’s kind of a full circle moment really,” said Sun Devils defensive lineman Zac Swanson.
“It’s super cool and we’re really blessed to be here. It took a little bit to get adjusted to the time, it’s probably one of our better weeks because back in Arizona it’s 115 degrees out and now we get to practise in 70s so preparation is going very well.
“It’s almost like a whole culture shock because it’s so different. My favourite thing is the houses and environment, you see the soccer pitches everywhere, we don’t really have that in the US.”
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III will be in London as part of the Fox Sports broadcast team, which is presenting their pre-game show live from the UK.
He shared his perspective on what makes the atmosphere of college football so distinct.
“The fandom around college football is better,” he told media. “It just is. The traditions and all that stuff are definitely more deep-rooted. The rivalries are better than the NFL rivalries and I just think it adds to it.
“There is no NFL without college and there’s no college football without the NFL.
“You actually sink your roots deeper into the ground by becoming a college football fan so you can truly follow these guys,” Griffin said. “That jersey that you put on, that you buy, that you spend all your hard-earned money on actually means more to you because you’ve been following those players longer.”
