Ranking the 3 best college football games ever played outside the U.S.
By Kathryn Rose
3. Mirage Bowl (Dec. 11, 1977) — Tokyo, Japan: Grambling 35, Temple 32
The 1977 Grambling squad was another Eddie Robinson tour-de-force. The national champion Tigers went 10-1 and won nine of their 11 games by 14 points or more. Future Super Bowl champion Doug Williams would go on to throw for 3,286 yards and 38 touchdowns in an era where that didn’t happen often.
On the other side, Temple had a middling 1977. Wayne Hardin had made the Owls into a solid program, but this was a rebuilding year. By 1979, this team would go on to win 10 games, but for now, they were trudging into Tokyo at 5-4-1.
Yet, Eddie Robinson knew Temple would be a tough outing, saying that “the team that scores in the closing minutes is the one that’s going to win.” Of course, he was right.
Korakuen Stadium saw a back and forth contest, and Doug Williams needed four touchdown passes to put Grambling in a position to win. In the dying minutes with Grambling on their own 15, Temple was up 32-28. A masterful drive by Williams ensued, and he led the Tigers down the field. Running back Floyd Wommack leaped into the endzone for the winning score, and Grambling prevailed 35-32.