5 Questions Arizona State Must Answer Against Kansas in London's Union Jack Classic

Sitting at 1-1, can the Sun Devils turn potential into production across the pond and beat a conference opponent?

Sep 12, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Isaiah Horton (7) reacts after scores a touchdown during the third quarter against Arizona State Sun Devils at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There were some things to like, and a lot to dislike, about Arizona State's Week 2 loss to No. 9 Texas A&M.

A dominant season opener and a tale of two halves against a top-ten team leaves Kenny Dillingham's team in a interesting place for Week 3 (Not talking about England)

Here are the questions that need to be answered:

Which ASU Team Will Show Up?

Saturday's trip to College Station featured an ASU team that commited nine penalties, four turnovers and 24 fourth-quarter points.

It also featured a Devils team that outgained Texas A&M, 369 to 255. A team that ran the ball more effectively than their opponent, threw the ball more effectively than their opponent and led in first downs and time of possession.

The glimpses of ASU's potential came out in the Lone Star State, such as WR Reed Harris's two-touchdown day and an athletic interception by S Lyrik Rawls. But your talent is nothing without execution.

Too many dead-in-the-water plays, a lack of ball security, and, of course, penalties took away the afternoon from Arizona State's playmakers.

Kenny Dillingham mentioned his desire to play "a cleaner game" during his media availability this week, we will see if his dreams come true.

Will Special Teams Hurt the Devils Again?

Speaking of execution, ASU's special teams unit miscues opened the door to a 10 points for the Aggies, turning what could have been a 10-7 first half lead into a 17-10 halftime deficit.

ASU had forced Texas A&M to punt for the second time in the first quarter, in what was a slug of a first-quarter start. That was until a muffed punt from WR Cory Butler Jr. allowed the Aggies to get the ball back and in great field position. A&M would punch in the first touchdown of the day two plays later.

In the second quarter, in a 14-10 A&M ballgame, ASU tried to pull a fast one with a fake punt on their own 42.

A direct snap to TE James Giggey had the openings for a potential first down, but the junior would fumble the snap, halting his progress and turning the ball over on downs.

If Dillingham does infact get his clean game in London, it will take all three levels of the game to do their part. Expect an emphasis on special teams this weekend.

What Tricks Does ASU Have Up Their Sleeve?

A surprise onside kick and fake punt through two games shows that Dillingham and the Devils aren't afraid to get crafty.

This creative track record goes even further back than that, including ASU's last meeting with Kansas.

Dillingham dialed up a fake punt in the Sun Devils' 2024 victory against KU, a call that sparked some momentum in the comeback victory.

Fast forwarding to 2026, ASU is coming off being burnt from their own trickery just a week ago. Will they pull another card from the deck? Or will they keep their tricks under wraps?

How Will Lyrik Rawls Play Against His Former Team?

It's just the second time ASU and Kansas are meeting on the gridiron, but one Sun Devil is a lot more familar with the program out of Lawrence.

Lyrik Rawls, an senior defensive back for the Sun Devils, played his junior season with Kansas after three seasons at Oklahoma State.

Will any prior insider info help Rawls read the KU offense? That is likely a stretch, but the DB has been impressive through two games for ASU, recording a couple tackles and a big-time interception against A&M.

If anything, this is more a question for the defensive back room in general. Behind names like Rawls, CB Ashton Stamps and Adrian Wilson, the ASU defense was impressive against a SEC offense before it all unraveled for the maroon and gold.

Now facing a talented, but young and inexperienced quarterback in Kansas sophomore Isaiah Marshall, will the seasoned secondary find a way to force Marshall into turnovers?

What is Next for Reed Harris?

If you didn't know the name Reed Harris before last week, you do now.

Six catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns against Morgan State is one thing, but tallying nine grabs for 189 yards and two scores against Texas A&M is another. Now entering conference play, is this pace sustainable for the senior?

A lot of this question rests on the decisions of Kansas: How much attention will they give Harris? Is it time for teams to start treating him like a standalone WR1?

This wouldn't be a bad situation for ASU, as it would likely open up the field for other playmakers, such as Omarion Miller and Khamari Anderson.

But this may be more of a personal question for Reed: Is he truly up for Jordyn Tyson-level expectations?

For reference, his two 100+ receiving yard games at Boston College in 2025 were followed with performances of four catches or less, being held to 54 yards or less.

Harris has since snapped that trend with back-to-back 100+ games in his first two apperances with the Devils. Is he due for another takeover? Or are we approaching a ceiling?

Arizona State and Kansas are set to kick off at 5:00 p.m. London time; 9:00 a.m. MST in Arizona, on Saturday, September 19, on FS1.