- Coca-Cola Classic (college football)
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Coca-Cola Classic (defunct) Coca-Cola Classic Stadium Tokyo Dome Location Tokyo, Japan Previous stadiums Korakuen Stadium Operated 1986 — 1994 Conference tie-ins various Sponsors The Coca-Cola Company 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 beverage 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.
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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. The 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.
References
Categories:- College football competitions
- Defunct college football bowls
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