LONDON — It wasn’t easy being an NFL fan living in England in the early 1980s. The highlights shown locally were from the previous week. The only live NFL television broadcast was of Super Bowl XVII.

No matter. It was still enough to pique the interest of lifelong England resident Peter Philip.

Longtime Minnesota Vikings fan Peter Philip with his daughter Alison on Sept. 18, 2016 before the first home game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. He is a season ticket member living in the UK. (Courtesy of Peter Philip)

He followed along in1982 when the highlights started being shown, then, in 1983, he attended the exhibition game between the Vikings and the St. Louis Cardinals at Wembley Stadium in London.

“I got tickets for that and I thought, If I’m going to go, I need to pick a team to support,” Philip said. “I picked the Vikings and we went from there.”

After the Vikings earned a 28-10 win over the Cardinals, Philip, now 63, was hooked. He kept up as much as he could from afar, watching the highlights on a weekly despite the fact they were delayed. He later discovered the best option was listening to the live radio broadcast on the American Forces Network.

“You’d be listening to a play and then the signal would disappear,” Philip said. “It would come back 15 or 20 seconds later and the play was finished.”

The next time Philip saw the Vikings in person came in 1999, when he traveled to the United States to watch them play the Atlanta Falcons on the road in a highly anticipated rematch of the heartbreaking NFC Championship Game.

“That was the first time I’d seen them stateside,” Philip said. “My wife at the time said, ‘How about next year we see if we can go to a game in Minnesota?’ ”

They attended their first game together when the Vikings hosted Buffalo Bills at the Metrodome in 2000 and began making an annual trip to the Twin Cities until his wife’s cancer diagnosis stopped them from traveling as much.

“She always told me if anything happens to her that I had to get season tickets,” Philip said. “I said, ‘No I wouldn’t do that.’ ”

She passed away in 2014. He bought season tickets in 2015.

“I came over with my daughter because she never seen the Vikings and she wanted to go,” Philip said. “I think the attraction was also the Mall of America.”

After watching the Vikings play host to the Detroit Lions at TCF Bank Stadium, Philip remembers his daughter encouraging him to see about buying season tickets. That did it. They returned in 2016 to see the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers in the first home game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Never mind that Philip still lives in Sandhurst, England, roughly 35 miles outside of London. He has still managed to get to at least one game per year for the past decade. He usually sells the rest to cover the cost.

The entry point to the Vikings was similar for lifelong England resident Geoff Reader, who also attended that exhibition game at Wembley Stadium.

Longtime Minnesota Vikings fan Geoff Reader with his friend Jen during a tailgate, date and location unknown. He is a season ticket member living in the UK. (Courtesy Geoff Reader)

“I went with a friend,” Reader said. “W,e decided to have a bet as to which team would win. I picked the Vikings. They won and I’ve been with them ever since.”

After watching the Vikings play the Cardinals in London, Reader also saw them play the Chicago Bears in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1988. He then made a tip to the United States in 1989 and made it a double-header; he saw the Vikings play the Houston Oilers at the Metrodome, then play the Bears at Soldier Field. He became a season ticket member in 1994.

“There have been some years where I have gone to every home game,” Reader said. “I have proof of it on my passport.”

Though many would assume the best home game he’s seen is the Minneapolis Miracle, Reader said the highlight was actually when hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre hitting journeyman receiver Greg Lewis in the end zone to beat the San Francisco 49ers at the buzzer.

“That was bonkers,” Reader said. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow. We’ve got a quarterback.’ ”

The fandom has continued over the past few decades, evidenced by how Reader, now 64, has been to every home game so far this season despite living in Bedford, England, 50 miles north of London.

As for Philip, he will be in the stands at U.S. Bank Stadium in a couple of months, sitting in his usual seat when the Vikings play the Washington Commanders.

“I love it,” Philip said. “I enjoy coming to Minneapolis and going to U.S. Bank Stadium and being with all the fans. I’m happy no matter what happens in the game. If we come away with a win, it’s even better.”

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By AAMER MADHANI and COLLIN BINKLEY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump’s political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money.

Universities were asked to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” committing them to adopt the White House’s vision for America’s campuses. It asks the schools to accept the government’s priorities on admissions, women’s sports, free speech, student discipline and college affordability, among other topics.

FILE – Students cross the campus of Dartmouth College, March 5, 2024, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Signing on would give universities priority access to some federal grants, but government money would not be limited solely to those schools, according to a White House official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the plan and spoke on condition of anonymity. Colleges that agree would also have priority access to White House events and discussions with officials.

The compact, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, asks universities to accept the government’s definition of gender and apply it to campus bathrooms, locker rooms and women’s sports teams. It asks colleges to stop considering race, gender and a wide range of other student demographics in the admissions process and to require undergraduate applicants to take the SAT or ACT.

The 10-page proposed agreement was sent Wednesday to some of the most selective public and private universities: Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, the University of Southern California, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia. It was not clear how these schools were selected or why, and whether similar offers might go out to other colleges.

Leaders of the Texas system were “honored” that the Austin campus was chosen to be a part of the compact and its “potential funding advantages,” according to a statement from Kevin Eltife, chair of the Board of Regents. “Today we welcome the new opportunity presented to us and we look forward to working with the Trump Administration on it,” Eltife said.

Representatives from the other colleges did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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The administration has used its control of federal funding as leverage at several other colleges, cutting off research money at schools including Harvard and Columbia as it has sought changes to the schools’ governance and policies.

Under the compact, international enrollment would have to be capped at 15% of a college’s undergraduate student body — many elite schools are now above that — and no more than 5% could come from a single country.

Schools that sign on would have to cap tuition for U.S. students for five years and the wealthiest campuses would not charge tuition at all for students pursuing “hard science programs.”

On free speech, schools would have to commit to promoting a wide range of views on campus. That includes “transforming or abolishing institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas,” according to the compact.

Each school would have to commission an annual poll of students and faculty to evaluate the campuses’ adherence to the pact. The terms would be enforced by the Justice Department, with violators losing access to the compact’s benefits for no less than a year. Following violations bump the penalty to two years.

“Institutions of higher education are free to develop models and values other than those below,” the compact said, “if the institution elects to forego federal benefits.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

By TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press

A U.S. immigration judge on Wednesday denied a bid for asylum from Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose case has become a proxy for the partisan power struggle over immigration policy.

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The judge in the Baltimore immigration court denied an application to reopen Abrego Garcia’s 2019 asylum case, but that is not the final word. Abrego Garcia has 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

The Salvadoran national has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years, but he originally immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager. In 2019, he was arrested by immigration agents. He requested asylum but was not eligible because he had been in the country for more than a year. However, the judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador, where he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family.

When he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and kept in a notorious prison, his case became a rallying point for those who opposed President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Facing a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, Trump’s Republican administration returned Abrego Garcia to the U.S. in June, only to immediately charge him with human smuggling.

While he faces those criminal charges in Tennessee, based on a 2022 traffic stop, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also seeking to deport him to a third country, proposing Uganda first and then Eswatini. His attorneys have denounced the criminal charges and the deportation efforts, saying they are an attempt to punish him for standing up to the administration.

Loller reported from Nashville, Tenn.

MINNESOTA at No. 1 OHIO STATE

When: 6:30 p.m. CT, Saturday
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus
TV: NBC
Radio: KFAN, 100.3 FM
Weather: 78 degrees, clear skies, 5 mph north wind
Betting spread: Ohio State, minus-23.5

Records: Top-ranked Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) shutdown Washington 24-6 in Seattle on Saturday, while Minnesota (3-1, 1-0) made a 14-point comeback to beat Rutgers 31-28 in its Big Ten opener.

History: The Gophers have lost 13 straight games to the Buckeyes, with the U’s last win coming 25 years ago, a 29-17 win at the Horseshoe in 2000. Minnesota lost 37-3 in its last trip to Columbus in 2023.

Big question: Will head coach P.J. Fleck throw the kitchen sink at the Buckeyes? Minnesota is a huge underdog against the defending national champions, so an aggressive approach — trick plays, fourth-down conversions — will likely be necessary to pull off the massive upset. Against the Buckeyes in 2023, Fleck faced a few fourth-down opportunities near midfield, but opted for punts.

Key matchup: Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith vs. Gophers cornerbacks. The Bucks’ 6-foot-3, 223-pound freak is averaging nearly 100 yards and one touchdown per game, while the U’s green defensive backs are still getting acclimated to their first Big Ten action.

Stat: With a win this weekend, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day would pass Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne for the all-time best career winning percentage (.882) in major college football.

Who has the edge?

Gophers offense vs. Ohio State defense: New Ohio State coordinator Matt Patricia has his new unit dialed in; they are No. 1 in the nation, allowing 5.5 points per game. And Fleck joked how Washington went above that average with a whopping six points. … Without its top two tailbacks, the Gophers abandoned the running game against Rutgers. Backups Fame Ijeboi and Cam Davis managed 3.0 yards per carry and it’s unclear if Darius Taylor (hamstring) will be able to return this week. But A.J. Turner (knee) has been ruled out for the season. … QB Drake Lindsey won Big Ten freshman of the week after completing 76% (31 of 41) for 324 yards and three touchdowns against Rutgers’ below-average secondary. Under a former NFL coach, Ohio State’s pass defense has been top notch, giving up 132 yards to rank eighth in the nation and will challenge the U’s redshirt freshman, showing him one coverage pre-snap and switching into something entirely different post-snap. … Unanimous All-America defensive back Caleb Downs is treated like a queen on a chessboard; he has lined up at free safety, cornerback, nickel back, a box defender or linebacker and even defensive line. EDGE: Ohio State

Gophers defense vs. Ohio State offense: Here’s one way to illustrate the talent gap between the two programs: the Buckeyes had six players named to the Senior Bowl’s new Top 300 list; the Gophers had one (defensive tackle Deven Eastern).  … WR Carnell Tate and TE Max Clare, a transfer from Purdue, are on the Senior Bowl list. Tate has been Robin to Smith’s Batman with three touchdown catches, while Minnesota has had trouble with athletic tight ends in the past. … The Gophers had one takeaway against Rutgers and turned it into a touchdown, but should have had at lest two more if D-backs catch passes that hit their hands. To pull off a shocker this weekend, Minnesota will likely need to be at least plus-two in turnover margin. The Gophers are minus-1 in the take/give against FBS competition this season. … Julian Sayin, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, has been living up to the hype, even if the Buckeyes are taking a more conservative approach with him. He leads the nation with 79% completions. … RT Phillip Daniels, a Cincinnati native, transferred from the Gophers to Ohio State last year and has stepped into a starting role this season. The U sure could use the 6-5, 315-pound force. EDGE: Buckeyes

Special teams: In its upset bid, Washington tried a fake field goal last week, but didn’t execute it properly. … PR Brandon Inniss has a 32-yard return to his name, while Minnesota’s KR Koi Perich had a season-long 56-yarder vs. Rutgers. … K Jayden Fielding is 4 for 4 on field goals, with a long of 38, while K Brady Denaburg is 5 for 7 on the season, but both misses beyond 50 yards. His career long is a 46 yarder. EDGE: Ohio State 

Prediction: Buckeyes fans will be tuned up for a rare night game at the Horseshoe and the talent gap on the field will become apparent soon after the dusk kickoff. Gophers will try some trick plays like they did against Penn State last year, but it won’t be enough against elite competition. Buckeyes dominate 30-7.

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