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Coca-Cola Classic (college football)
Regular season National Collegiate Athletic Association college football game
Regular season National Collegiate Athletic Association college football game
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Coca-Cola Classic |
| defunct | yes |
| stadium | Tokyo Dome (1988–1993) |
| previous_stadiums | National Olympic Stadium (1980–1987) |
| Korakuen Stadium | |
| (1977–1979) | |
| location | Tokyo, Japan |
| years | 1977–1993 |
| sponsors | The Coca-Cola Company (1986–1993) |
| Mitsubishi (1977–1985) | |
| former_names | Mirage Bowl (1977–1985) |
Korakuen Stadium (1977–1979) | previous_tie-ins = | conference_tie-ins = Mitsubishi (1977–1985)
The Coca-Cola Classic was a regular season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football game played in Tokyo, Japan, from 1977 to 1993. It was originally sponsored by Mitsubishi and known as the Mirage Bowl, and later sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and renamed for the soft drink Coca-Cola Classic. Because the game was merely a re-location of a late regular season game, it was not considered a traditional postseason bowl game.
Background
Japan universities began forming their own college football teams since 1934. In 1971, the Utah State Aggies became the first American college football team to play in Japan, in a series of games against teams of Japan's college all-stars. January 1976 saw the beginning of the Japan Bowl, a post-season college football all-star game played in Japan each January from 1976 to 1993.
In September 1976, Grambling State and Morgan State played a regular-season game at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Won by Grambling State, 42–16, it was the first regular-season NCAA game played in Japan. Referred to as the "Pioneer Bowl" in some sources, the game was unrelated to the postseason Pioneer Bowl played in Wichita Falls, Texas, during 1971–1982, or the later Pioneer Bowl contested between historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) during 1997–2012.
Corporate sponsorship
Mitsubishi
The Mirage Bowl was hosted by Mitsubishi Motors in Japan from its inception through 1985. The name refers to Mitsubishi's Mirage line of subcompact cars. Chrysler imported the Mirage and sold it in the US as the Dodge Colt and the Plymouth Champ.
Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company took over corporate sponsorship from Mitsubishi in 1986, renaming it the "Coca-Cola Classic". Other sports contests sponsored by Coca-Cola have also been called "Coca-Cola Classic", for example, in college basketball and volleyball. The company's flagship beverage, itself, was re-branded "Coca-Cola Classic" in the wake of the "New Coke" fiasco.
Game results
| Season | Date | Winners | Runners-up | Venue | Attendance | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 11 December 1977 | Grambling | 35 | Temple | 32 | Korakuen Stadium |
| 1978 | 10 December 1978 | Temple | 28 | Boston College | 24 | 55,000 |
| 1979 | 24 November 1979 | Notre Dame | 40 | Miami (FL) | 15 | 62,574 |
| 1980 | 30 November 1980 | No. 14 UCLA | 34 | Oregon State | 3 | National Olympic Stadium |
| 1981 | 28 November 1981 | Air Force | 21 | San Diego State | 16 | 60,000 |
| 1982 | 27 November 1982 | No. 10 Clemson | 21 | Wake Forest | 17 | 80,000 |
| 1983 | 26 November 1983 | No. 6 SMU | 34 | Houston | 12 | 70,000 |
| 1984 | 17 November 1984 | Army | 45 | Montana | 31 | 60,000 |
| 1985 | 30 November 1985 | USC | 20 | Oregon | 6 | 65,000 |
| 1986 | 30 November 1986 | Stanford | 29 | No. 12 Arizona | 24 | 55,000 |
| 1987 | 28 November 1987 | California | 17 | Washington State | 17 | 54,000 |
| 1988 | 3 December 1988 | No. 12 Oklahoma State | 45 | Texas Tech | 42 | Tokyo Dome |
| 1989 | 4 December 1989 | Syracuse | 24 | Louisville | 13 | 50,000 |
| 1990 | 1 December 1990 | No. 11 Houston | 62 | Arizona State | 45 | 50,000 |
| 1991 | 30 November 1991 | No. 13 Clemson | 33 | Duke | 21 | 50,000 |
| 1992 | 6 December 1992 | No. 11 Nebraska | 38 | Kansas State | 24 | 50,000 |
| 1993 | 5 December 1993 | No. 10 Wisconsin | 41 | No. 25 Michigan State | 20 | 51,000 |
Notable games
1977
The inaugural Mirage Bowl was played in 1977 at Korakuen Stadium on December 11, between Grambling and Temple. Grambling rallied to win 35–32 with a last-minute touchdown, and All-American quarterback Doug Williams was named MVP.
1984
The eighth edition, between Army and Montana, marked the introduction of "The Wave" to Japan. A line of Army and Montana cheerleaders on the playing field demonstrated the concept of The Wave, and it was quickly adopted by spectators in the stands.
1988
Heisman Trophy winning running back Barry Sanders concluded his Division I-A (now FBS) record-setting rushing season in this game, since the NCAA did not begin counting bowl game statistics until 2002 (four weeks later, he gained 222 yards in the Holiday Bowl, which are not included in his record-setting total). He watched the Heisman Trophy announcement in a Tokyo television studio at five o'clock in the morning. Sanders rushed for more than 300 yards in Oklahoma State's 45–42 win against Texas Tech to finish the season with 2,628 yards.
1990
Houston quarterback David Klingler passed for 716 yards against Arizona State, a Division I-A (now FBS) single-game passing yardage record that stood for over two decades, broken by Connor Halliday in 2014.
1992
Nebraska won the Big Eight conference title, edging out runner-up Colorado with the win. It was the finale of Kansas State's last non-bowl season until 2004.
1993
With their 21-point win over Michigan State, Wisconsin became co-champions of the Big Ten (with Ohio State, who they had tied earlier in the season) and received the invitation to the Rose Bowl, the program's first New Year's Day appearance in 31 years.
References
References
- [https://americanfootball.jp/english History of American Football in Japan], Japan American Football Association, accessed May 28, 2024.
- Kaz Nagastuka, [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/01/20/more-sports/football/coaches-recall-trail-blazing-71-utah-state-visit/ Coaches recall trail-blazing '71 Utah State visit], ''The Japan Times'', January 20, 2016.
- Bobak Ha'Eri, [https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/1cjap87/rcfb_reporting_mills_bowl_iv_is_this_saturday/ /r/CFB Reporting: Mills Bowl IV is this Saturday: What to know about the team from Japan and notes from the ground at Southern Oregon], /r/CFB, May 3, 2024.
- (October 5, 1976). "Coaches see football in Japan". [[Baltimore Afro-American]].
- (September 23, 1976). "G-Men Slight Favorite to Win Pioneer Bowl, Japanese Style". [[Shreveport Journal]].
- "WVU Record in Coca-Cola Classic".
- [http://www.mosquitonet.com/~ronnzeek/uafvb3_honors.htm University of Alaska Fairbanks Volleyball Archives]
- (December 12, 1977). "Grambling tops Temple in Tokyo on last-minute TD". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- (December 11, 1978). "BC finishes 0–11, but falls to Temple with verve". The Boston Globe.
- (November 26, 1979). "Irish run to victory over Miami". The Kokomo Tribune.
- (December 1, 1980). "Beavers lose in Japan, finish 0–11 for season". Albany Democrat-Herald.
- (November 30, 1981). "San Diego State Upset by Air Force". The Los Angeles Times.
- (November 29, 1982). "Tigers edge Deacs, take title". The News and Observer.
- (November 28, 1983). "Southern Methodist wins in Japan". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- (November 18, 1984). "Mirage Bowl, Griz-Army shootout was entertaining lesson in football for Japanese". The Missoulian.
- (December 1, 1985). "Trojans go from sayonara to aloha with win over Oregon". The Los Angeles Times.
- (December 1, 1986). "Stanford holds on for victory". Record Searchlight.
- (November 29, 1987). "Field goal lifts California to 17–17 tie with Cougars". The Olympian.
- Telander, Rick. (December 12, 1988). "Big hand for a quiet man". Vault SI.
- (December 4, 1989). "Long bombs, unlikely hero allow Syracuse to shoot down U of L". The Courier-Journal.
- (5 December 2024). "‘The best 6 days of my life’: Reliving Syracuse football’s Tokyo trip 35 years later". [[The Daily Orange]].
- (December 2, 1990). "Houston has fun at ASU's expense". Arizona Republic.
- (December 1, 1991). "Tigers pull away from Blue Devils". The Herald-Sun.
- (December 6, 1992). "NU goal is made in Japan". The Lincoln Star.
- Sanger, David E.. (6 December 1993). "Wisconsin Is on Top a World Away". [[The New York Times]].
- (December 12, 1977). "Grambling QB takes win over record in Tokyo game". Eugene Register-Guard.
- Lammers, David. (November 17, 1984). "Army rips Montana in Mirage Bowl matchup". Spokane Chronicle.
- Nissenson, Herschel. (December 3, 1988). "Tale of the unwanted Heisman Trophy". Spokesman-Review.
- (December 4, 1988). "Heisman rout for Sanders". Spokesman-Review.
- Trotter, Jake. (August 8, 2014). "Sanders' 1988 season stands alone". [[ESPN]].
- Bonagura, Kyle. (October 5, 2014). "Connor Halliday sets passing record". ESPN.
- (December 6, 1993). "It's roses for Badgers after win over MSU". Toledo Blade.
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