ASU’s week brought a little bit of everything: a win overseas, a conference-opening soccer victory, a ranked volleyball sweep, a golf title and two local baseball commitments.
The biggest headline came from Wembley Stadium, where ASU football moved to 2-1 by beating Kansas 24-17 in the Union Jack Classic on Saturday. The Sun Devils leaned on a defense that has allowed just 285 yards per game through the first three games of 2026 and forced three turnovers against the Jayhawks.
Two of those takeaways came on fumbles. Sophomore Hyrum Vaeono forced one and returned it all the way back to the KU 2-yard line, setting up a score from junior quarterback Cutter Boley that pushed ASU ahead 24-7 early in the fourth quarter. Later, with Kansas back in ASU territory, junior linebacker Owen Long jumped a pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Isaiah Marshall for an interception with just under 10 minutes left.
Long was everywhere, finishing with 12 tackles and the pick while earning Big 12 defensive player of the week honors. Kenny Dillingham had plenty to say about him afterward.
"He led the country in tackles last year," Dillingham said. "I'm probably going to see him and say, 'Yep, that's just another day.'"
The offense didn’t have nearly the same kind of day. ASU punted nine times and managed 228 yards, with Boley’s only passing touchdown coming on a throw to senior wide receiver Reed Harris with 20 seconds left in the first half. Dillingham said after the game that the offense was worse than it had been the week before, but he’d take the result without hesitation.
"Offensively, we played significantly better last week than we did this week,” Dillingham said. "Last week, we won the stats and lost the game. Give me losing the stats and winning the game a hundred times out of a hundred."
After a bye next week, the Sun Devils return to Tempe to face Baylor on Oct. 3.
On the soccer pitch, ASU opened Big 12 play with a 3-1 win over Utah on Friday. The Sun Devils are now 7-1-2 in conference openers under Graham Winkworth. Junior forward Kierra Blundell scored twice, becoming the fourth Sun Devil to record a brace this season, and her second goal was the highlight - a long-range blast into the top left corner that stretched the lead to two.
Sophomore forward Bela Puccinelli added the other goal, while Mya Angus and Miki Hayashi picked up assists. ASU finished with 15 shots and seven on target.
Utah’s only goal came off a corner, and that’s now the only way the Sun Devils have been beaten this season; all five goals allowed have come from set pieces. Winkworth’s team now heads into a three-game road trip that starts at Kansas and continues against Kansas State and Texas Tech.
Volleyball kept the momentum rolling with a sweep of Stanford at the SLO Classic, a result that looked like a real statement. No.
9 ASU knocked off No. 8 Stanford in San Luis Obispo on Thursday and then beat host Cal Poly in five sets, moving to 9-2 and extending its winning streak to four.
The Sun Devils have handled ranked teams well, piling up four wins over ranked opponents and two against top-10 opponents. ASU opened the season by beating then-No.
2 Texas and then sweeping then-No. 14 Minnesota, and it also picked up wins over Oregon and Stanford while losing only two sets in those ranked matchups.
The tougher nights have come against unranked teams, though, with a loss to UC Davis and a close call against Cal Poly standing out. Even so, the weekend was enough to push ASU back into the top 10 at No.
The Sun Devils open Big 12 play on Sept. 25 and will try to chase a third straight conference title.
On the golf course, ASU turned in a dominant performance at the Fighting Illini Invitational, finishing 40-under-par as a team to win the event. Senior Connor Williams tied for first individually at 13-under, posting rounds of 63, 68 and 66.
Freshman Oscar Couilleau made a splash with two eagles in round one and tied for sixth at 10-under after shooting 62, 69 and 69. Sophomore Boston Bracken also finished 10-under.
Nobody on the roster shot over par. Senior Fifa Laopakdee carded 5-under with rounds of 69, 68 and 68, while junior Peer Wernicke went 2-under with a 71, 67 and 70.
ASU now heads to Fort Worth, Texas, for the 2026 Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational from Sept. 28-29.
Baseball added two local prospects this week, landing shortstop Jace Harrell and outfielder/right-handed pitcher Andrés Armenta. Harrell, from Chandler, is set to be part of Willie Bloomquist’s 2027 class and is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Arizona by Prep Baseball.
Armenta, a Queen Creek native, will join the 2028 class. Harrell ran a 6.68 in the 60-yard dash, while Armenta posted a 6.45 and brings an 81-mph fastball with him.
In Other News...
Arizona State Just Got More Proof Its Fast Start Is Real
Arizona State got another sign that its strong start is no fluke after a big weekend against Kansas produced a pair of Big 12 weekly honors. Junior linebacker Owen Long was named Co-Defensive Player of the Week, while senior wide receiver Jaren Hamilton earned Co-Special Teams Player of the Week, underscoring how the Sun Devils are winning games with impact plays on both sides and in the kicking game.
Long piled up 12 tackles and added an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble, while Hamilton turned the opening kickoff into a 100-yard touchdown and immediately changed the tone of the game. Head coach Kenny Dillingham praised Long's instincts and preparation as Arizona State heads into its bye week, carrying the kind of momentum that has this early stretch feeling increasingly legitimate. [Read more 🡒]
ASU's Hidden Edge Took Over In A Historic Win Over Kansas
Arizona States trip to Wembley Stadium turned into more than just a postcard win over Kansas. The Sun Devils left London with a 24-17 victory in the Union Jack Classic, and a big reason why was the part of the roster that often gets overlooked. Special teams had a major hand in the outcome, directly accounting for 20 of the 41 points scored and swinging momentum with timely field position and a return game that kept Kansas on its heels.
Jaren Hamiltons 100-yard kick return touchdown was the play that jumped off the stat sheet, but it was only part of a broader effort that Kenny Dillingham singled out afterward. The ASU coach also pointed to punter Nick McLarty as a key piece of the performance, a reminder that games overseas can hinge on hidden yards as much as offense and defense. For a Sun Devils team chasing every edge it can find, that phase of the game may have been the difference on one of the programs most memorable stages. [Read more 🡒]