LONDON — The Kansas defense did its job on Saturday by making the opposing quarterback uncomfortable, playing tight coverage on his receivers and forcing uncomfortable downs and distances by stopping the run.
The Kansas offense did not play complementary football.
KU didn’t convert a third down until late in the third quarter, running backs Dylan Edwards and Yasin Willis committed one costly fumble each in opponent territory and despite outgaining Arizona State 414-228, the Jayhawks lost 24-17 in the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium.
Tate Nagy scored twice on a punt return and a 38-yard reception, and quarterback Isaiah Marshall (235 passing yards, 52 rushing yards, one touchdown and one interception) and Edwards (18 carries, 89 yards) both played credible games. But the Jayhawks failed to execute on third and fourth downs for much of the game.
They had a chance late to potentially get the ball back down a touchdown with two minutes to go, but with KU out of timeouts, ASU quarterback Cutter Boley ran for eight yards on third-and-5 to seal the deal.
Boley threw for just 95 yards and Kyson Brown managed 81 on 24 carries, but the defensive effort wasn’t enough for KU in a game where it conceded a special-teams touchdown
After a poor first drive for the Jayhawks opened the game, ASU took over and quickly crossed midfield. A tackle for loss by Eamon Smalls put the Sun Devils behind the chains, and they had to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Carson Smith to open the scoring.
A 15-yard run by Edwards and 13-yard run by Willis started KU’s next drive strong, but the Jayhawks stalled on the edge of field-goal range and turned it over on downs as Marshall’s throw sailed too far for a well-covered Nagy.
ASU had more success when it converted a fourth-and-short of its own near midfield with a quarterback sneak, but three passes went for a total of one yard and it had to punt.
The Jayhawks continued to get their running backs involved in creative ways, but Adrian Wilson blew up an outside run by Willis and forced a fumble that was recovered by Owen Long.
David Santiago tracked down Boley on a third-down scramble. ASU looked to have another fourth-down conversion on a run by Brown, but a holding penalty on James Giggey prompted a punt, which Nagy promptly returned for a go-ahead touchdown.
An illegal formation penalty derailed another drive for the Sun Devils soon afterward, as it ended with a sack by Leroy Harris III.
Harris almost had another on third down right before the two-minute warning, but Boley escaped and managed to hit Jalen Moss on the run for 14 yards and a key conversion. On the next play, Brown slashed through the defense for 17 more. But David Santiago got home to torpedo the series.
ASU punter Nick McLarty was able to pin KU at its own 2-yard line with the Sun Devils still holding all three timeouts. They spent them all and held the Jayhawks to their fourth three-and-out, which proved pivotal because Matt Gill’s punt went for just 17 yards and Boley immediately found Reed Harris for a go-ahead 25-yard touchdown entering the break.
Jaren Hamilton then took back the second-half kickoff for a score down the left sideline to make it 17-7.
After a couple of early punts, a holding call on Amir Herring wiped out a 34-yard pass from Marshall to Nik McMillan, but KU still picked up a first down when Marshall found Nahzae Cox for 26 on second-and-24.
That effort was for naught because Jessiah McGrew successfully defended a third-and-1 pass attempt to McMillan and then the Sun Devils stuffed running back Micah Johnson on fourth down.
The Jayhawks’ next stop-and-start drive got a big boost when they converted on third down for the first time with a 41-yard lob from Marshall to Cox. But a false start on Keaton Kubecka turned a third-and-2 into third-and-7, which KU did not convert, and Martin Connington missed a 44-yard field goal wide to the right.
Marcus Calvin and Corey Gordon combined for a fourth-down stop that got the Jayhawks possession late in the third quarter. Their drive reached ASU’s 22-yard line before Edwards coughed it up, and Free State alumnus Hyrum Vaeono returned it 77 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown by Boley.
Marshall got into a bit of a rhythm to lead KU on one of its more productive drives. But a bad snap on third-and-10 left him with no play but to throw the ball away, and then while trying to make a play on fourth down he was intercepted by Owen Long.
The Jayhawks forced another stop before Marshall connected with Nagy for a touchdown to make it 24-14.
After yet another punt, KU had a chance to cut its deficit back to one possession, and McMillan got a first down while drawing a facemask penalty. Marshall then hit Jailen Butler for 24 more yards, but three straight incompletions prompted a field goal for Connington, his first successful attempt as a Jayhawk, to cut the deficit to one score.
KU didn’t see the ball again and fell to 1-2. Its next game will be against Middle Tennessee on Oct. 3, following a bye week.
Notes and observations
Linebacker Bam Crouch and wide receiver Cam Pickett were both game-time decisions. Neither started for the Jayhawks. Quincy Davis continued to take Crouch’s place at linebacker, while Keaton Kubecka played a prominent role at wideout on the first drive.
Willis suffered some sort of right leg injury midgame and returned out of uniform after halftime while wearing a boot. That detracted from the depth in an already thin running-back room.
Nagy’s punt-return touchdown was the first for the Jayhawks since Trevor Wilson’s against UCF on Oct. 7, 2023.
How they scored
First quarter
9:22 — Carson Smith 39-yard field goal good. Ten plays, 44 yards, 3:50 TOP. ASU 3, KU 0.
Second quarter
10:57 — Tate Nagy 72-yard punt return. Martin Connington PAT good. KU 7, ASU 3.
0:20 — Reed Harris 25-yard pass from Cutter Boley. Smith PAT good. ASU 10, KU 7.
Third quarter
14:46 — Jaren Hamilton 100-yard kick return. Smith PAT good. ASU 17, KU 7.
Fourth quarter
12:30 — Cutter Boley 1-yard run. Smith PAT good. Two plays, two yards, 1:04 TOP. ASU 24, KU 7.
6:52 — Nagy 38-yard pass from Isaiah Marshall. Connington PAT good. Five plays, 67 yards, 1:15 TOP. ASU 24, KU 14.
3:51 — Connington 46-yard field goal good. Eight plays, 52 yards, 1:23 TOP. ASU 24, KU 17.
