Saturday, 24 January 2026
Monday, 19 January 2026
EXCLUSIVE: COLLEGE FOOTBALL SET TO RIDE NFL'S COATTAILS TO LONDON IN 2026 WITH INAUGURAL UNION JACK CLLASSIC .
The NFL ignored the criticism and has instead spent the better part of the last 20 years importing regular-season games to London. Now the league sells out Tottenham and Wembley Stadiums several times per season, while last year's Super Bowl broadcasts on Sky Sports and ITV reached a reported 3.4 million unique viewers in the UK. There's even speculation the game itself could be played in London in the future.
To marketing executives and former college football players Brian Dubiski and Thomas Hensey, who have worked with the NFL in London, the league's UK success story begged an obvious question.
'Why is no one taking college football to London?' Dubiski, a former Texas Tech defensive back, told the Daily Mail. 'The data and analytics prove that there are roughly 20 million American football fans in the UK, which is a large number. We've got an American football base already aligned over there.'
Their firm took the initiative by negotiating with schools and the elite Big 12 conference to buy one game per season at an undisclosed cost and move it to 86,000-seat Wembley Stadium. Starting with Arizona State-Kansas on September 19, the Union Jack Classic is aimed at meeting the growing demand for gridiron football in the UK, while introducing schools, players and even the sport itself to new fans.
At the very least, it should be more accessible than the NFL's London offerings.
'You know, the NFL sells out every game so quickly and it's hard to even get a ticket to some of these games, right?' Dubiski said. 'And so for us, we just wanted to [find] a sweet spot to where you could still get the same type of amazing hospitality that you get at the NFL games, all the way down to a more affordable entry-level ticket.'
Prices range from £58.75 ($78.78) up to £444 ($594), with some hospitality packages approaching £1,000 ($1,338).
Like Dublin's Aer Lingus College Football Classic, an annual game aimed at promoting American tourism in Ireland, thousands of team fans are expected to cross the Atlantic for the Union Jack Classic.
But unlike its Irish counterpart, the London game hopes to also attract locals unfamiliar with the Arizona State Sun Devils, Kansas Jayhawks and the endearing charms of college football.
To remedy this unfamiliarity, Hensey, Dubinski and partner Rob Yowell are offering American-style tailgating near Wembley, replete with marching bands, cheerleaders and the kind of pre-game atmosphere that's unique to college football.
To remedy this unfamiliarity, Hensey, Dubinski and partner Rob Yowell are offering American-style tailgating near Wembley, replete with marching bands, cheerleaders and the kind of pre-game atmosphere that's unique to college football.
For the uninitiated, college football players and NFL stars are playing the same game. But while the modern NFL has more of a UEFA Champions League feel, college football has the tribalism and camaraderie you might expect at Selhurst Park or Bramall Lane.
That's because the college game has far more history, dating back to 1869 and spending about a century as the sport's pre-eminent platform.
Ultimately the Super Bowl and the NFL's merger with the rival AFL would turn college football's tawdry younger sibling into America's highest-grossing and most popular league. But the foundation of the sport is rooted in prestigious institutions like Ivy League universities, military academies and Notre Dame, an Indiana Catholic school that still blends the teachings of Jesus Christ with those of legendary coach Knute Rockne.
(One oft-quoted Rockne line might be apocryphal, but still speaks to Notre Dame's ethos: 'Prayers work best when you have big players.')
Even the formation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sprang from wealthy elites' desire to protect America's future businessmen, politicians and military officers from football's inherent brutality.
The NCAA still oversees college football, and all collegiate sports for that matter, but things have changed dramatically on the gridiron. These days, the College Football Playoff (CFP) runs the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which is more or less the upper rung of the amateur game.
And by the way, 'amateur' isn't really applicable these days. After years of draconian amateurism rules, many of which were flouted by schools, the NCAA now allows players to accept endorsement deals. What's more, colleges can now pay players directly thanks to a $2.8 billion settle in June, making the whole 'student athlete' thing a quaint relic of a passing era.
In 2025, college stars like Texas' Arch Manning and Miami's Carson Beck reportedly earned around $5 million (£3.7m), which is more than all but nine NFL rookie salaries over that same time. And whereas elite players once left school early for NFL riches, many are now petitioning the NCAA for added years of eligibility to capitalize on their superior earning potential at the college level.
In response, coaches, schools, donors and fans have called on the NCAA and legislators to add some structure to the wild-west economy that's arisen.
The relative silence from those bodies has been deafening, but that hasn't stopped the profits. For instance, the Texas Longhorns generated $330 million in 2024, while the national-champion Ohio State Buckeyes hauled in $255 million.
Most of the billions flowing through the sport go to schools in the top four conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12) in the form of media rights deals, which have turned individual games into multi-million dollar affairs.
Just how much Dubiski and Hensey paid for next season's Arizona State-Kansas tilt remains a mystery due to confidentiality agreements. But costs are only a small portion of this undertaking. There are also endless logistical issues, many of which are more onerous than those faced by the NFL in London.
'You're bringing two teams over from universities here in the States,' Dubiski said. 'It's much different than even the NFL. Right now a travel team of just football players is 105 and then you bring the rest of just what they call the travel team, it's about 180 [individuals] and then that's just really the core football side of it before you start putting others on the top of that.
'It's actually a pretty daunting task.'
Some of that workload is helped by existing networks of service providers that already partner with the NFL, but Dubiski and Hensey aren't just concerned with practices and games. They need to ensure players have a rewarding experience in London or risk turning off potential future participants.
All of this is complicated by the requisite travel, which comes with the potential for jet lag ahead of the following week's games back in the US.
And therein lies the real concern for teams and coaches. As one high-ranking Arizona State football official told the Daily Mail, the experience will only be worth it if players have enough time to both see London and successfully prepare for the game with enough time.
If that delicate balance can be achieved, the source explained, this can become a unique recruiting tool to attract players to participating schools.
There are other measures of success, too, some of which Dubiski and Hensey have already achieved.
'It took us a full year to really navigate the stream on this, to get a conference involved, to get two teams committed to coming, to getting the right venue,' he said. 'So when we talk success, it was that last entire year's work before we announced to really put it all together. And that was a heavy lift, right?'
Then there are ticket sales, which he believes can be buoyed simply by playing at a prestigious venue like Wembley: 'We chose it for a reason.'
Besides, this is an annual event, and most business ventures don't turn a profit in the first year. So even if they can't break even in 2026, Dubiski sees potential for the Union Jack Classic thanks to partnerships with Wembley and the Big 12, as well as the UK's growing fascination with American football.
There's even the potential for a future game between the University of Cincinnati, Travis Kelce's alma mater, and Texas Tech, where Kelce's Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes went to school.
'I'm all for putting a Cincy-Texas Tech game in that stadium, and maybe we could have Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes,' Dubiski said.
And an appearance from Kelce's fiancée Taylor Swift wouldn't hurt either.
- ALEX RASKIN
Monday, 1 September 2025
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Friday, 17 January 2025
Friday, 10 January 2025
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WORLD REACTS TO NOTRE DAME-PENN STATE CFP SEMIFINAL
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| Defenders attempt to tackle the ball carrier during the College Football Playoff semifinal game between Penn State and Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla. The Fighting Irish beat the Nittany Lions 27-24 to advance to the national championship. Kate Hildebrand |
Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are officially heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame fans may be thanking Penn State quarterback Drew Allar for the win after throwing an interception in the Lions' own territory with 38 seconds left in the game. After a few plays by the Irish to improve their field position, kicker Mitch Jeter hit a 41-yard field goal to take the lead with just seven seconds remaining.
After struggling in the first half, Irish quarterback Riley Leonard picked it up in the final two quarters, which came after he was evaluated for a concussion just before halftime. The senior finished the game completing 14-of-22 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also added 35 yards and another score on the ground.
Leonard earned Orange Bowl Offensive MVP honors for his performance.
NOTRE DAME SURVIVES PENN STATE IN THE ORANGE BOWL
IRISH ARE HEADING TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1988 pic.twitter.com/uUy5lYe1SV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 10, 2025
Following the close battle, many college football fans were left entertained with the Orange Bowl, leaving their thoughts on social media.
"What a football game! Two great teams and great coaches! That was a classic! Notre Dame is so fun to watch. Marcus Freeman is a superstar coach," one fan said.
"Happy we finally got a great playoff game that came down to the wire, but OSU gonna win the natty if the ND defense keeps tackling the way they did the last two playoff games," added another.
"CFP gives us a whole bunch of stinkers then the best game of the college football season," wrote a third.
"This game was insane. One of the best CFP Semi Finals ever," commented a fourth.
"Tonight's CFP Semifinal has been the best game of the entire playoffs," chimed in a fifth.
"Outstanding CFP game tonight. For all of the duds this season, we his is one of the best. I love the fight and refuse to go down by both teams," posted a sixth.
Notre Dame cornerback Christian Gray secured the Defensive MVP award after setting up his team's game-winning field goal with the late interception of Allar.
The Fighting Irish will wait until Friday night to find out their opponent for the national championship game. They will face the winner of the Cotton Bowl between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Related: Notre Dame Fans Threw Items on the Field During Penn State Game
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
- Chris Phelps Athlon Sports
Friday, 3 January 2025
Saturday, 21 December 2024
NOTRE DAME BEATS INDIANA IN FIRST GAME OF EXPANDED CGP
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame players and coaches linked arms in the northeast corner of the field late Friday, waiting to sing the alma mater for the final time at home in 2024.
After a slight delay, coach Marcus Freeman bounded into the group, pumping his first toward the student section before the band began to play. No. 7 Notre Dame had beaten No. 10 Indiana 27-17, using a familiar formula of stifling defense, big-play runs and relentless physicality to overwhelm a lesser opponent, just like the Fighting Irish had done for most of the season.
But Friday's win and setting was different. A Notre Dame program steeped in history became the first to win a campus College Football Playoff game. The Irish, who had not won a CFP game before, played their first Friday home game since 1900, before a full-throated crowd, many of whom came to campus on a snowy morning and celebrated throughout the day and night.
Freeman, fresh off a new contract in his third season as Notre Dame's coach, took a moment to enjoy the scene.
"I've never been part of an environment like that," Freeman said. "Not many times in life you're the first to do something, and as I told the [team] in there, we were the first to win and play a playoff game in Notre Dame Stadium. That's historic. Something we'll cherish for the rest of our lives."
Defensive coordinator Al Golden, whose group drove Notre Dame into the CFP and overwhelmed Indiana for much of Friday's game, doesn't walk around campus or the team's facility with blinders on. He absorbs the national championship banners and other symbols of the program's distinct path.
"The lineage is so strong and so storied that it's hard to come about something that's the first," Golden said. "So everybody in that locker room, everybody that's a part of it, can say that for the rest of their lives."
Notre Dame ensured that its first home CFP game would not be its last of the season, jumping ahead 14-0 after Jeremiyah Love's 98-yard touchdown run and a 16-play, 83-yard drive capped by a Riley Leonard pass to Jayden Thomas.
Love's run through the left side of the line marked the longest play in CFP history, the longest run by an FBS player this season, the longest play Indiana has ever allowed and tied for the longest run in Notre Dame history (Josh Adams in 2015 against Wake Forest). The sophomore isn't fully recovered from a knee injury suffered in the regular-season finale at USC and also had been battling illness.
"He is the engine that sparks this thing to go in a real positive direction," offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said.
Love was "gassed" after crossing the goal line and could barely speak after the game. He would log only eight carries in the game but made sure no Indiana defender would track him down.
"I was looking up on the video board [and] he wasn't going to catch me," Love said. "I slowed down. I knew I was going to score."
Safety Xavier Watts set up Love's touchdown with an interception and propelled Notre Dame's defense with 10 tackles. The Irish kept Indiana's offense out of the end zone until less than 90 seconds remained and turned away the Hoosiers on eight of 12 third-down opportunities, while racking up three sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Notre Dame led 17-3 at halftime and 27-3 with 4:50 left before Indiana scored two late touchdowns.
"They pretty much suffocated our offense until the last minute and a half of the game," Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said.
Leonard rebounded from an interception on his first pass attempt to complete 20 passes for 215 yards and two scores in his final game at Notre Dame Stadium. Leonard spread the ball to 10 receivers, including wide receiver Jordan Faison, who set a career high with seven reeptions.
Leonard, a Duke transfer and Alabama native, will continue his quest closer to home against No. 2 seed Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, a CFP quarterfinal. Notre Dame has lost 10 consecutive major bowl games since its last in a marquee New Year's Day game, the 1994 Cotton Bowl.
"This is special for us," Leonard said. "My freshman year, I went 3-9 [at Duke] and was just begging to make a bowl game. To be playing in the Sugar Bowl right now, I've got to go full circle. It's really cool. We're just staying alive and we're just trying to play as many games as we can."
Notre Dame's win might have come at a cost, as starting defensive tackle Rylie Mills did not return after suffering a right leg/knee injury after sacking Indiana's Kurtis Rourke on the first series of the second half. The Irish also had injuries to offensive lineman Rocco Spindler and defensive lineman Bryce Young.
Freeman told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt that he has "optimism" about Mills, whose injury likely won't be season-ending. Mills leads Notre Dame with 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
"We just got to get him right here in the next 10-11 games and get him ready for this upcoming contest down in New Orleans," Freeman told Van Pelt.
- Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer