kansas

Kansas City have dominated their rivalry with the Raiders in recent years, but Las Vegas are vastly improved after winning only three games last season and pushed the Chiefs all the way.

The Raiders led 13-10 heading into the final quarter in Vegas, which featured three lead changes before Kansas City held on for a 30-27 win.

The turning point came as new running back Kenneth Walker maintained his stunning start by scoring two touchdowns in 19 seconds, with the Chiefs regaining possession immediately by forcing a fumble on the kick-off return.

The Raiders gave themselves hope with a Brock Bowers score and stayed alive until the final play, when Kirk Cousins was tackled as he threw and his wayward pass was intercepted.

Walker finished with 177 yards from 22 carries, while team-mate Tyquan Thornton also had two touchdowns and 111 receiving yards.

After missing last season’s play-offs, the Chiefs look capable of getting back into Super Bowl contention. They next face the Los Angeles Chargers, who are 0-4 after losing 30-23 to defending champions the Seattle Seahawks.

Virtually all NFL players come via the US college system, and in many parts of America, college football is more popular than the NFL.

College games often have bigger crowds – eight of the world’s 10 biggest stadiums are for college football, all holding more than 100,000.

The fans are also more passionate as support is often passed down from one generation to another, and multiple generations attend the same school. Kansas player Calvin Clements, for example, is a fifth-generation Jayhawk.

Actor Paul Rudd is also a Jayhawk, while lifelong fan Jason Sudeikis grew up in Kansas and frequently weaves KU references into his work.

“They’re very spirited, and you get the tribalism, so it’s the closest thing we have to European football fanbases,” Dubiski told BBC Sport.

Both the NFL and college football have tailgate parties, where fans gather in the car park and eat and drink for hours before the game.

But college football fans chant during games, which feature marching bands and spirit squads – made up of cheerleaders, dancers and mascots.

“We want the game to showcase what we think is one of the greatest sports in America,” said Yormark.

“There’s something special about college football – the pageantry, the traditions, the fandom. It’s dynamic – there’s a lot of energy and passion. It truly is an experience.”