Arizona State will make history on Sept. 19 in London, but at a brutal cost. The Sun Devils fly more than 10 hours to England for the first FBS game there, just one week after a road game at Texas A&M, then return home to an early bye.

“Our biggest challenge is us managing the scheduling,” said ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham at Big 12 Media Days, as reported by ON3’s Brett McMurphy on July 7. “After playing at Texas A&M [Sept. 12], we’re going straight to London [Sept. 19]. At the end of the day, it’s still about [18- to 22-year-old] players and their experiences and memories they make. Sending 105 kids to London is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

ASU’s participation in the Union Jack Classic hopefully makes good memories. Regardless of a win or loss, the experience of playing on an international stage is something student-athletes will never forget. Even for many Sun Devils, this could be their first trip outside the US. “College football is about experiences for guys. For them to be able to experience that, that’s a bucket‑list item,” said the ASU head coach.

This is a big opportunity for the Sun Devils to prove their potential. ASU opens against Morgan State at home, then faces Texas A&M in College Station before the transatlantic hop. Coaches know back‑to‑back road games plus a lengthy flight can drain a roster. Still, the Big 12 sees the upside: a global stage that can boost recruiting and the conference brand.

“The Big 12 aims to be the most globally relevant conference in college athletics,” said Brett Yormark at Big 12 Media Days. “Our brand of football travels. It’s fast, it’s dynamic, and it’s exciting. It resonates beyond our borders.”

For ASU, that global push lands at a steep price. The Sun Devils absorb back‑to‑back road games at Texas A&M and in London while several Big 12 rivals open with lighter home slates, a trade‑off that favors the conference brand over one program’s early‑season wear and tear.

Coming from the London trip, ASU will get its first bye week of the 2026 season. But the main struggle will start after that. The Big 12 program has to play a continuous nine weeks and face powerhouse rivals. That means no second break while opponents get reset weeks. ASU hosts Baylor and Hawaii, then roads at Texas Tech, BYU and UCF, plus home dates against Kansas State, Colorado and Oklahoma State before closing at Arizona.

In a 12‑team playoff era, every week matters. A rough patch in that nine‑game run can knock a team out of the Big 12 title race, even if the London trip becomes a lifetime memory for the 105 who fly out. With this brutal stretch, will ASU be able to make a title run as they did in 2024? ASU has the pieces. If Dillingham’s staff turns that talent into wins during the nine‑game stretch, the Sun Devils can be in the Big 12 title picture again.

The Big 12 head coach has a plan for next season

A tough schedule always reduces a program’s chance of being a legitimate title contender. Considering that, Kenny Dillingham is ready to shift ASU’s non-conference games for the 2027 season. Prioritizing West Coast rivals will help them in recruiting momentum.

That’s why Dillingham expressed an intention to schedule games against programs like UCLA, USC, California, Stanford, and more for the future. It will definitely enhance their chances to remain in title contention.

“So we’ve started to try to do that. But that would be my ultimate goal, is to try to create those [non-conference] games in this the West Coast, because now we go, you know, to Texas multiple times a year. So now that we’re playing already, you know, four games a year, you’ll want to get the different regions. From a recruiting standpoint, you know, playing different regions, you’re recruiting usually those regions.”

But this season’s schedule, whether it will favor ASU or not, will be successful. The answer will take shape by the end of the regular season on Nov. 28