Arizona State didn’t just beat Kansas in London. It got a massive defensive lineman sprinting down the sideline at Wembley Stadium and nearly taking a turnover all the way to the house.
That was Hyrum Vaeono, the Sun Devils’ 300-plus-pound defender, who grabbed a forced fumble from ASU linebacker Prayer Young-Blackgoat and rumbled 75 yards to the Kansas 2-yard line in a 24-17 victory in the inaugural Union Jack Classic. The return didn’t produce a touchdown, but it set ASU up at the two, and the offense finished the job two plays later to make it 24-7 and effectively seal the game.
ASU’s defense carried plenty of the load because the offense never really found its rhythm. The Sun Devils managed only one successful touchdown drive on their own, so the game leaned heavily on a defense that forced three Kansas turnovers and kept the Jayhawks from converting on any of their four fourth-down chances.
The big defensive play was part of a wild sequence of explosive returns that gave the game some life. Kansas opened the scoring with a 72-yard punt return touchdown from Tate Nagy in the first quarter. ASU answered with a 100-yard kickoff return by Jared Hamilton, which helped push the Sun Devils into a 17-7 lead early in the second half.
For stretches, the game looked like a showcase for special teams and defensive takeaways more than offense, with both teams struggling to move the ball. Then Vaeono’s return turned into the defining swing.
It made the moment even sharper that Vaeono grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. The Lawrence Free State High School graduate was named to the Wichita Eagle’s 2024 Kansas All-State team, but he never received an offer from KU. He drew interest from several other programs, including ASU, and chose the Sun Devils in the end.
Now a sophomore, Vaeono got his first crack at Kansas University, and he ended up making the turnover that helped shut the door on his hometown team.
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ASUs London Win Got An Emotional Twist Fans Will Love
Arizona States trip across the Atlantic turned into more than just a historic win on the field. In the first-ever Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium, the Sun Devils edged Kansas 24-17 behind a defense that kept producing answers, from Hyrum Vaeonos 77-yard fumble return to the turnover pressure created by linebacker Owen Long.
For a team still settling into conference play, the result carried real weight beyond the novelty of playing in London. It was Arizona States first Big 12 win, pushing the Sun Devils to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the league, and it came in a game where the defensive effort was the difference long before the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Just Opened Big 12 Play With A Grit Fans Will Love
Arizona State opened Big 12 play in a way Sun Devils fans will appreciate, leaning on defense and special teams to outlast Kansas 24-17 in the inaugural Union Jack Classic in London. Even while being outgained in total offense, the Sun Devils kept finding answers, forcing three turnovers and making enough high-leverage plays to stay in control of a game that never really felt comfortable.
Linebackers Owen Long and Martell Hughes were central to that effort, helping set the tone for a unit that refused to break when the Jayhawks pressed. Jaren Hamilton gave the performance an extra jolt with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, the kind of explosive play that can swing a game and, in this case, helped Arizona State leave London with a statement win to start conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Dillingham Didn't Care How Ugly Arizona State's Win Looked
Arizona States trip to Wembley Stadium ended with a win, and Kenny Dillingham made it clear he was far more concerned with the result than the style points. In the Union Jack Classic, the Sun Devils beat Kansas 24-17 in the first college football game in England between two FBS teams, grinding through a performance that featured turnovers and penalties before finding enough answers to finish the job.
For a team that just spent a long week on the road, the bigger takeaway was survival. Dillingham pointed to the value of winning in a tough setting and the fact that Arizona State was able to avoid giving the game away when things got messy, even if the final product hardly looked polished. The Sun Devils now head home with the kind of cross-Atlantic victory that wont make many highlight reels, but still counts the same in the standings. [Read more 🡒]