LONDON (AP) — The Jayhawks and Sun Devils skipped tea and feasted on Shake Shack burgers along the Thames River.
Culture clashes abound as Kansas and Arizona State bring American college football to Wembley Stadium — the home of English football — in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Saturday.
And the “Ted Lasso” references are unavoidable with both teams staying at hotels located near Richmond.
The Big 12 Conference matchup is an important one on the field — both teams want to avoid back-to-back losses — but the trip also offers a chance for players to experience a European capital and be ambassadors for their sport.
“I know I haven’t done anything like this before,” ASU defensive lineman C.J. Fite said this week. “To be able leave a country, play football in front of new fans ... and kind of figure out this new culture and be able to experience it, it’s a No. 1 thing for sure.”
Thursday was a big sightseeing day for both teams. The game organizers had arranged for boat trips on the Thames. Plus, they set up tables full of Shake Shack UK food for the players.
On the boat tours, players snapped photos of Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. A popular spot was Tower Bridge, where players strolled on the glass walkway that looks down on the bridge deck and the Thames.
“This is a lifetime opportunity for our players, for our program and, again, I can’t tell you how exited we are to be here and be part of this,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said this week.
His counterpart, Kenny Dillingham, was asked if he had anything fun planned outside of football.
“Absolutely not,” he responded. “We're playing a football game.”
Dillingham added there is “zero positive” from a football perspective in playing a Week 3 game internationally but, in the bigger picture, noted the once-in-a-lifetime experience for players.
Indeed, ASU offensive lineman Jalen Klemm said it will be exciting “to play in front of a different country and a different culture that doesn’t experience football and college football as often as obviously we do in America. So I think it’s a great opportunity for us to just go out there and play our game and kind of show what Sun Devils football is about.”
The Jayhawks, better known for their basketball, weren’t about to miss a layup. Their marching band and cheerleaders did a short performance at the Richmond plaza that’s instantly recognizable to fans of the Apple TV series “Ted Lasso.” It’s near where the fictional character — played by Kansas native Jason Sudeikis — lives.
A real Kansas coach — associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki, who handled the Jayhawks’ offense — had some Lasso-esque moments during his news conference Wednesday, including when he asked a local reporter how she spelled her name — because it’s also his dog’s name.
He also talked about being in the “foxhole” with quarterback Isaiah Marshall. Kotelnicki called a timeout during the session and said “gosh dang it” because he wanted more questions from London journalists.
Kotelnicki asked for advice on where to get the best fish and chips but was told to skip that and go for a pie and mash instead.
Organizers have a three-year contract with Wembley for an annual game with an option for a fourth year.
Brian Dubiski, CEO of the Union Jack Classic, recently told The Associated Press that they’re in talks about airline and hospitality partnerships but might not have a title sponsor until next year.
Wembley holds more than 86,000, but Dubiski is hoping for 60,000. An estimated 15,000 fans are coming from the U.S. Organizers added discounts on ticket four-packs and donated some to a U.K. organization that provide tickets to hospital workers.
“Would we like 80,000 people in the seats? Absolutely. But anything over 40-to-50,000 is a viable business model," Dubiski said.
Saturday’s matchup will be the first Football Bowl Subdivision game in the U.K. Back in 1988 — almost two years before Dillingham was born — the University of Richmond beat Boston University 20-17 at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in south London. The teams played in Division 1-AA, which is now called the Football Championship Subdivision.
That one was billed as the Imperial Bowl. Attendance estimates varied, but 6,000 was the highest of them. A game program available on eBay shows the adult ticket price was 6 pounds.
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Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley (8) looks to pass downfield against Texas A&M during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
FILE - An aerial view of Wembley stadium in London on Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — The NFC South suffered the indignity of having four teams finish with losing records last season and take Week 1 losses to open the 2026 season.
Last week's poor showing makes division matchups, including Carolina's visit to Atlanta on Sunday, especially important.
Though the Panthers finished with the same 8-9 regular-season record as Atlanta and Tampa Bay last season, they swept the two games against the Falcons on their way to winning the division title tiebreaker.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young says coach Dave Canales has stressed that the best route to the playoffs is winning division games.
“Coach talks about it all of the time," Young said. ”Our first goal is to win the South. Obviously those division wins mean so much when you’re trying to accomplish that goal. You have the same process for every game — you don’t get too high or too low, but this is a business and we are all players and we understand what is at stake every time there is a division opponent. We know what this game means.”
Atlanta's home opener follows a 20-13 opening loss at Pittsburgh last week. The Falcons were forced to start third-string quarterback Cooper Rush after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury in practice and Michael Penix Jr. continues to recover from a 2025 season-ending left knee injury.
Rush threw two interceptions, including T.J. Watt’s pick-6 in the fourth quarter.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski on Friday said Cooper Rush will make his second straight start at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. split snaps with Rush this week but will be inactive as he continues his recovery from season-ending surgery on his left knee in 2025. Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) is listed as doubtful.
The Falcons have had uncertainty at quarterback since the start of training camp, but their bigger problem may be finding a way to contain Young and the Panthers' passing game. Young set a franchise record by passing for 448 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Carolina's 30-27 overtime win at Atlanta to sweep the Falcons last season.
“He’s a very smart quarterback,” said Falcons safety Jessie Bates III of Young. "I think they’ve done a lot of really good things to help him bring out his strengths in his game, whether that’s them going to empty or rhythm-type of throws to help them out. I think that he’s definitely become a really high-level quarterback in this league for sure.”
Young's top playmakers are Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, an undrafted rookie in 2024 who had eight catches for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 59-37 loss to Chicago.
Carolina (0-1) at Atlanta (0-1)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox
Latest odds: Panthers by 2 1/2.
Against the spread: Panthers 0-1; Falcons 0-1.
Last week: Panthers lost to Bears 59-37; Falcons lost to Steelers 20-13.
Last meeting: Panthers beat Falcons 30-27 in overtime in Atlanta on Nov. 16, 2025.
Series record: Falcons lead 37-25.
Panthers run defense vs. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. The Panthers allowed two Chicago running backs to reach 100 rushing yards in the Bears' 59-37 win last week in Charlotte. Overall, the Bears rushed for 291 yards and six touchdowns and averaged 7.5 yards per carry. Robinson had 21 carries for 83 yards and eight receptions for 90 yards in the Falcons' 20-13 loss at Pittsburgh as the focal point of an offense that had a limited passing game.
— The Panthers and Bears combined to score 96 points in Week 1, making it the highest-scoring season-opening game in NFL history. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they gave up 59 of those points, the most in franchise history.
— Panthers WR Jalen Coker had eight catches for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 1 shootout with the Bears.
— RB Chuba Hubbard had touchdowns rushing and receiving in Week 1 and remains the Panthers top option in the backfield.
— The Panthers defense allowed six touchdowns rushing against the Bears and two TDs in each quarter.
— Young is 4-1 against the Falcons, completing 110 of 165 pass attempts (66.7%) for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns. He is 10-30 as a starter against the rest of the league.
— With Rush at quarterback, Drake London had only two catches for 29 yards and Kyle Pitts had no catches and only one target against Pittsburgh. London, Atlanta’s go-to wide receiver, and Pitts, coming off a productive season at tight end, each received new contracts in the offseason.
— Tagovailoa did not participate in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Cornerback A.J. Terrell (shoulder) and RG Chris Lindstrom (concussion protocol) are questionable.
— The Falcons are 21-10 at home in the rivalry.
— The Falcons ranked 31st in passing yards and 30th in total yards following their weak offensive showing in their opener.
AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush (13) reacts after a sack during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs the ball in for a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs in for a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
