| Coca-Cola Classic (defunct) | |
|---|---|
| Stadium | Tokyo Dome |
| Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previous stadiums | Korakuen Stadium |
| Operated | 1977—1993 |
| Conference tie-ins | none |
| Sponsors | |
| Mitsubishi (1977-1985), The Coca-Cola Company (1986–1993) | |
| Former names | |
| Mirage Bowl (1977-1985) | |
The Coca-Cola Classic was a NCAA college football game played using regular season scheduled games played in Tokyo, Japan. It was sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and named for the soft drink Coca-Cola Classic manufactured by the company. The series was played from 1986 to 1993. Because the game is merely a re-location of a regular season game, it was not considered a traditional, post-season bowl game.
Mirage Bowl[]
The Mirage Bowl was hosted by Mitsubishi Motors in Japan, after its line of subcompact cars named the Mirage. The Mitsubishi Mirage that was imported into the United States was better known as the Dodge Colt.
The first Mirage Bowl was played in Korakuen Stadium on December 11, 1977 between Grambling and Temple. Grambling won 35-32. Grambling quarterback Doug Williams was named MVP.
Originally held in the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, National Olympic Stadium (Tokyo), it was held in the Tokyo Dome from 1988 to 1993.
Game results[]
Italics denote a tie game.
| Date Played | Winning Team | Losing Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 11, 1977 | Grambling | 35 | Temple | 32 |
| December 10, 1978 | Temple | 28 | Boston College | 24 |
| November 24, 1979 | Notre Dame | 40 | Miami (FL) | 15 |
| November 30, 1980 | UCLA | 34 | Oregon State | 3 |
| November 28, 1981 | Air Force | 21 | San Diego State | 16 |
| November 27, 1982 | Clemson | 21 | Wake Forest | 17 |
| November 26, 1983 | SMU | 34 | Houston | 12 |
| November 17, 1984 | Army | 45 | Montana | 31 |
| November 30, 1985 | USC | 20 | Oregon | 6 |
| November 30, 1986 | Stanford | 29 | Arizona | 24 |
| November 28, 1987 | California | 17 | Washington State | 17 |
| December 3, 1988 | Oklahoma State | 45 | Texas Tech | 42 |
| December 4, 1989 | Syracuse | 24 | Louisville | 13 |
| December 2, 1990 | Houston | 62 | Arizona State | 45 |
| November 30, 1991 | Clemson | 33 | Duke | 21 |
| December 6, 1992 | Nebraska | 38 | Kansas State | 24 |
| December 6, 1993 | Wisconsin | 41 | Michigan State | 20 |
Other contests[]
Other sport contests have been named "Coca Cola Classic" based on the sponsorship of the Coca Cola Company. College Basketball[1] and volleyball[2] are two examples.
Trivia[]
- Nebraska and Wisconsin won their respective conference titles (Big Eight and Big Ten) at the last two Mirage Bowls. Wisconsin's 1993 win sealed an invitation to the 1994 Rose Bowl -- its first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1963 Rose Bowl.
- The 1984 Mirage Bowl between Army and Montana marked the introduction of "The Wave" to Japan.