Leipold discounts talk of a Kansas edge ahead of London game against Arizona State

Kansas head coach Lance Leipold has dismissed claims that his team had a logistical edge heading into Saturday’s game against Arizona State due to playing one day earlier than the Sun Devils last week. The Jayhawks arrived in London for their Big 12 Conference matchup at Wembley Stadium in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Wednesday. Kansas faced Missouri in a home game on Friday night, which they lost 38-21. Meanwhile, Arizona State suffered a loss on the road on Saturday, 48-20 to Texas A&M.

On Tuesday, ASU coach Kenny Dillingham had stated that it “makes common sense” for teams in an international game to play on the same day in the prior week. However, Leipold expressed doubt about the significant advantage, stating that the Sun Devils had ample time to acclimate. He acknowledged that the Sun Devils’ travel and preparation might have been beneficial, but he was uncertain about the degree of any advantage gained.

Leipold expressed respect for Dillingham’s perspective on allowing the team to get some work done before the trip. He added that he did not believe there was a clear advantage in either scenario, as the Sun Devils appeared to have adapted well and put in considerable effort in London. The Big 12 Conference announced in April that they would move the Kansas-Missouri game up a day. Leipold mentioned that he received a text message from Dillingham when the change was communicated.

If Cole Ballard does not play against Arizona State due to sustaining a shoulder injury in the loss to Missouri, the Jayhawks would turn to Chase Jenkins as a backup to starting quarterback Isaiah Marshall. Leipold stated that Jenkins had worked hard over the week, and the team felt confident in his ability to run the offense and lead the team.