# List of college football games played outside the United States

In the United States, college football has been played since the 1869 season when Princeton and Rutgers played the first game. In the early years of the game, Harvard University and McGill University developed a rivalry that is credited with the establishment of modern American football. The first game played outside the United States occurred on October 23, 1874, when the Crimson defeated McGill 3–0 at Montreal, Quebec. Several other games were played during the early years of the game in Canada until the differences between American and Canadian football became significant enough that Canadian and American universities ceased playing one-another. In addition to the early Canadian games, several teams competed in the Bacardi Bowl at Havana, Cuba until it was discontinued after the 1946 edition of the game.
Although not common, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules allow for member institutions to compete in regular season games scheduled in foreign countries no more than once every four years. The first of these games occurred in 1976 when Grambling State defeated Morgan State in the Pioneer Bowl at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo. After that initial game, a regular season game called the Mirage Bowl (later called the Coca-Cola Classic) was played in Tokyo from 1977 to 1993. Since 1977, regular season games have also been played in Australia, Bermuda, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
In April 2006, the NCAA announced Toronto was awarded a postseason bowl game to be played at Rogers Centre. The International Bowl was the first bowl game played outside the United States since the Bacardi Bowl in 1937. However, the game was discontinued after its 2010 edition. Two international games were played as part of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Penn State and UCF played their season opener in the Croke Park Classic at Dublin, and the Bahamas Bowl had its inaugural edition at Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau in December 2014 and its second edition on December 24, 2015. The Bahamas Bowl has continued as part of the bowl schedule ever since. Two regular-season games were scheduled for 2016: the first game of the season, with California and Hawaiʻi playing at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, and a return to Dublin's Aviva Stadium, this time with Boston College playing Georgia Tech.
In addition to those played, several international games have been proposed from time-to-time that were never actually played. In 1989, USC and Illinois were scheduled to open their season in the Glasnost Bowl at Dynamo Stadium in Moscow. However, the game was canceled and moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum due to the logistics of undertaking a college football game in the Soviet Union. In 1996, the Haka Bowl was scheduled for play at Auckland, New Zealand, but its certification was subsequently revoked by the NCAA due to financing concerns. In 2013, bowl games were proposed for both Dublin, Ireland and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, but neither was certified by the NCAA for play. In both 2020 and 2021, the Emerald Isle Classic played at Dublin, Ireland was canceled due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ireland event returned for 2022, with a new sponsored name of Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

## Games

List of games showing date, season, score, opponents, stadium, city, country, attendance and other notes :
| Date | Season | Score | Winning team | Winning conference | Losing team | Losing conference | Stadium | City | Country | Attendance | Notes/References |
| October 23, 1874 | 1874 | 3–0 | Harvard | Independent | McGill | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | 2,000 | |
| October 23, 1875 | 1875 | 1–0 | Harvard | Independent | Montreal FBC | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| October 30, 1876 | 1876 | 1–0 | Harvard | Independent | McGill | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| October 26, 1877 | 1877 | 1–0 | Harvard | Independent | McGill | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| November 1, 1879 | 1879 | 1–0 | Harvard | Independent | Britannias FBC | Independent | | Montreal | Canada | | |
| November 3, 1879 | 1879 | 0–0 | Harvard | Independent | McGill | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| November 1, 1880 | 1880 | 2–1 | Harvard | Independent | Ottawa FBC | Independent | | Ottawa | Canada | | |
| November 2, 1880 | 1880 | 0–0 | Harvard | Independent | Montreal FBC | Independent | Montreal Cricket Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| November 6, 1880 | 1880 | 13–6 | Michigan | Independent | Toronto | Independent | Toronto Lacrosse Club | Toronto | Canada | | |
| October 29, 1881 | 1881 | 0–0 | Harvard | Independent | Britannias FBC | Independent | | Montreal | Canada | | |
| November 7, 1885 | 1885 | 8–2 | Michigan | Independent | Windsor | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | Was played under Canadian rules |
| November 5, 1898 | 1898 | 10–5 | Vermont | Independent | Ogdensburg A.A. | Independent | M.A.A.C. Grounds | Montreal | Canada | | |
| December 25, 1907 | 1907 | 56–0 | LSU | SIAA | Havana | Independent | Almandares Park | Havana | Cuba | 10,000 | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| January 1, 1910 | 1909 | 11–0 | Cuban Athletic Club | Independent | Tulane | Independent | Almandares Park | Havana | Cuba | | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| January 1, 1912 | 1911 | 12–0 | Mississippi A&M | SIAA | Cuban Athletic Club | Independent | Almandares Park | Havana | Cuba | | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| October 28, 1912 | 1912 | 49–1 | Carlisle | Independent | Toronto | None | | Toronto | Canada | | Was played as exhibition with the first half played under American and the second half under Canadian rules |
| November 2, 1912 | 1912 | 12–0 | Assumption | Independent | Michigan State Normal | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| December 25, 1912 | 1912 | 28–0 | Florida | SIAA | Vedado Tennis Club | Independent | Almandares Park | Havana | Cuba | 1,500 | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| October 9, 1915 | 1915 | 33–0 | Michigan State Normal | Independent | Assumption | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| October 17, 1917 | 1917 | 28–0 | Michigan State Normal | Independent | Assumption | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| October 9, 1920 | 1920 | 27–13 | Michigan State Normal | MIAA | Assumption | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| November 5, 1921 | 1921 | 13–0 | Syracuse | Independent | McGill | Independent | Percival Molson Memorial Stadium | Montreal | Canada | | |
| December 31, 1921 | 1921 | 14–0 | Cuban Athletic Club | Independent | Ole Miss | SIAA | Almandares Park | Havana | Cuba | | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| October 7, 1922 | 1922 | 13–0 | Michigan State Normal | MIAA | Assumption | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| October 15, 1927 | 1927 | 26–7 | Michigan State Normal | MCC | Assumption | Independent | | Windsor | Canada | | |
| November 28, 1927 | 1927 | 20–6 | Howard (AL) | SIAA | Universidad Nacional | Independent | Vedado Tennis Club | Havana | Cuba | | |
| November 20, 1929 | 1929 | 28–0 | Mississippi College | SIAA | UNAM | Independent | Estadio Val Buena | Mexico City | Mexico | 75,000 | |
| January 1, 1937 | 1936 | 7–7 | Auburn | SEC | Villanova | Independent | La Tropical Stadium | Havana | Cuba | | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| October 28, 1944 | 1944 | 7–6 | Idaho Southern Branch | Independent | Edmonton AAB | Independent | Clarke Stadium | Edmonton | Canada | 5,500 | Was played as exhibition against a squad of U.S. military servicemen called the Alaska Clippers |
| October 5, 1945 | 1945 | 27–0 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | North Dakota State | NCC | Osborne Stadium | Winnipeg | Canada | | |
| November 6, 1946 | 1946 | 12–0 | Nevada | Independent | Edmonton AAB | Independent | Clarke Stadium | Edmonton | Canada | 1,500 | Was played as exhibition against a squad of U.S. military servicemen called the Alaska Clippers |
| December 7, 1946 | 1946 | 55–0 | Mississippi Southern | Independent | Havana | Independent | La Tropical Stadium | Havana | Cuba | | Was played as the Bacardi Bowl |
| October 23, 1948 | 1948 | 28–6 | North Dakota State | NCC | Manitoba | Independent | | Winnipeg | Canada | | |
| September 19, 1954 | 1954 | 31–26 | Tampa | Independent | National Polytechnic Institute | Independent | Estadio Olímpico Universitario | Mexico City | Mexico | 18,000 | |
| October 1, 1954 | 1954 | 19–6 | Eastern New Mexico | Independent | Notre Dame (Canada) | Independent | Taylor Field | Regina | Canada | 4,000 | Was the first night game played at Taylor Field and was played under American rules |
| October 21, 1961 | 1961 | 60–8 | McNeese State | Gulf States Conference | National Polytechnic Institute | Independent | Estadio Olímpico Universitario | Mexico City | Mexico | 30,000 | |
| November 29, 1969 | 1969 | 49–6 | Trinity (TX) | Southland Conference | UNAM | Independent | Estadio Olímpico Universitario | Mexico City | Mexico | | |
| June 1, 1976 | 1976 | 17–8 | Texas A&I | Lone Star Conference | Henderson State | | Olympiastadion | West Berlin | West Germany | 9,000 | Was the first college football game in Europe |
| June 5, 1976 | 1976 | 21–7 | Texas A&I | Lone Star Conference | Henderson State | | Prater Stadium | Vienna | Austria | 18,000 | |
| June 12, 1976 | 1976 | 20–6 | Texas A&I | Lone Star Conference | Henderson State | | | Mannheim | West Germany | | "mostly U.S. military personnel in the stands" |
| June 1976 | 1976 | 17–5 | Texas A&I | Lone Star Conference | Henderson State | | | Nuremberg | West Germany | | "mostly U.S. military personnel in the stands" |
| June 1976 | 1976 | 21–13 | Texas A&I | Lone Star Conference | Henderson State | | Stade Colombes | Paris | France | 25,000 | |
| September 24, 1976 | 1976 | 42–16 | Grambling State | SWAC | Morgan State | MEAC | Korakuen Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Pioneer Bowl |
| December 11, 1977 | 1977 | 35–32 | Grambling State | SWAC | Temple | Independent | Korakuen Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| September 3, 1978 | 1978 | 10–0 | Utah State | PCAA | Idaho State | RMAC | Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium | Nishinomiya | Japan | 15,000 | Was the first college football season-opener played in Japan |
| December 2, 1978 | 1978 | 28–24 | BYU | WAC | UNLV | Independent | Yokohama Stadium | Yokohama | Japan | 27,500 | Was played as the Yokohama Bowl |
| December 10, 1978 | 1978 | 28–24 | Temple | Independent | Boston College | Independent | Korakuen Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 55,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 24, 1979 | 1979 | 40–15 | Notre Dame | Independent | Miami (FL) | Independent | Korakuen Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 62,574 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 30, 1980 | 1980 | 34–3 | UCLA | Pac-10 | Oregon State | Pac-10 | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 86,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 28, 1981 | 1981 | 21–16 | Air Force | WAC | San Diego State | WAC | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 80,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 27, 1982 | 1982 | 21–17 | Clemson | ACC | Wake Forest | ACC | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 64,700 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 26, 1983 | 1983 | 34–12 | SMU | Southwest | Houston | Southwest Conference | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 70,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 17, 1984 | 1984 | 45–31 | Army | Independent | Montana | Big Sky | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 60,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| November 30, 1985 | 1985 | 20–6 | USC | Pac-10 | Oregon | Pac-10 | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 65,000 | Was played as the Mirage Bowl |
| December 6, 1985 | 1985 | 24–21 | Wyoming | WAC | UTEP | WAC | VFL Park | Melbourne | Australia | 19,107 | Was played as the Australia Bowl |
| November 30, 1986 | 1986 | 29–24 | Stanford | Pac-10 | Arizona | Pac-10 | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 55,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| November 28, 1987 | 1987 | 17–17 | California | Pac-10 | Washington State | Pac-10 | National Olympic Stadium | Tokyo | Japan | 45,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| December 4, 1987 | 1987 | 30–26 | BYU | WAC | Colorado State | WAC | Princes Park | Melbourne | Australia | 7,652 | Was played as the Melbourne Bowl |
| October 16, 1988 | 1988 | 20–17 | Richmond | Colonial | Boston University | Yankee | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre | London | United Kingdom | 2,500 | |
| November 19, 1988 | 1988 | 38–24 | Boston College | Independent | Army | Independent | Lansdowne Road | Dublin | Ireland | 42,525 | Was played as the Emerald Isle Classic and was also the first major college football game played in Europe |
| December 3, 1988 | 1988 | 45–42 | Oklahoma State | Big Eight | Texas Tech | Southwest | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 56,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| January 8, 1989 | 1988 | 73–3 | William & Mary | I-AA independent | Japan All-Stars | | Yokohama Stadium | Yokohama | Japan | 11,000 | Was played as the Ivy Bowl |
| October 28, 1989 | 1989 | 28–25 | Villanova | Yankee | Rhode Island | Yankee | Arena Civica | Milan | Italy | 5,000 | Was played as the Milano Kickoff Classic and was the first college football game played in Italy |
| December 2, 1989 | 1989 | 46–29 | Pittsburgh | Independent | Rutgers | Independent | Lansdowne Road | Dublin | Ireland | 19,800 | Was played as the Emerald Isle Classic |
| December 4, 1989 | 1989 | 24–13 | Syracuse | Independent | Louisville | Independent | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| December 2, 1990 | 1990 | 62–45 | Houston | Southwest | Arizona State | Pac-10 | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| May 31, 1991 | 1991 | 20–7 | Pacific Lutheran | | Evangel | | Workers' Stadium | Beijing | China | 25,000 | |
| November 16, 1991 | 1991 | 24–19 | Holy Cross | Patriot | Fordham | Patriot | Gaelic Grounds | Limerick | Ireland | 17,411 | Was played as the Wild Geese Classic and was the first non-Gaelic game played at Limerick |
| November 16, 1991 | 1991 | 51–13 | Bethune–Cookman | MEAC | Morris Brown | SIAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 12,500 | |
| November 30, 1991 | 1991 | 33–21 | Clemson | ACC | Duke | ACC | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| September 19, 1992 | 1992 | 7–7 | Heidelberg | OAC | Otterbein | OAC | Stadion am Bieberer Berg | Offenbach am Main | Germany | 4,351 | Was played as the Rhine River Cup, and was the first college football game played in reunified Germany |
| November 29, 1992 | 1992 | 7–6 | Bowdoin | NESCAC | Tufts | NESCAC | Pearse Stadium | Galway | Ireland | 2,500 | Was played as the Christopher Columbus Classic |
| December 6, 1992 | 1992 | 38–24 | Nebraska | Big Eight | Kansas State | Big Eight | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 50,000 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| January 9, 1993 | 1992 | 35–19 | William & Mary | I-AA independent | Nihon University | | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 40,000 | Was played as the Ivy Bowl |
| November 20, 1993 | 1993 | 17–14 | Georgetown | MAAC | Washington and Lee | ODAC | Bermuda National Stadium | Hamilton | Bermuda | 3,218 | Was played as the Bermuda Bowl |
| December 5, 1993 | 1993 | 41–20 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | Michigan State | Big Ten | Tokyo Dome | Tokyo | Japan | 51,500 | Was played as the Coca-Cola Classic |
| November 19, 1994 | 1994 | 28–14 | Davidson | Independent | Sewanee | SCAC | Bermuda National Stadium | Hamilton | Bermuda | 2,000 | Was played as the Bermuda Bowl |
| October 28, 1995 | 1995 | 17–10 | Fordham | Patriot | Holy Cross | Patriot | Bermuda National Stadium | Hamilton | Bermuda | 2,436 | Was played as the Bermuda Bowl |
| November 2, 1996 | 1996 | 54–27 | Notre Dame | Independent | Navy | Independent | Croke Park | Dublin | Ireland | 38,651 | Was played as the Shamrock Classic |
| January 6, 2007 | 2006 | 27–24 | Cincinnati | Big East | Western Michigan | MAC | Rogers Centre | Toronto | Canada | 26,717 | Was played as the 2007 International Bowl |
| January 5, 2008 | 2007 | 52–30 | Rutgers | Big East | Ball State | MAC | Rogers Centre | Toronto | Canada | 31,455 | Was played as the 2008 International Bowl |
| January 3, 2009 | 2008 | 38–20 | Connecticut | Big East | Buffalo | MAC | Rogers Centre | Toronto | Canada | 40,184 | Was played as the 2009 International Bowl |
| January 2, 2010 | 2009 | 27–3 | South Florida | Big East | Northern Illinois | MAC | Rogers Centre | Toronto | Canada | 22,185 | Was played as the 2010 International Bowl |
| May 21, 2011 | 2010 | 17–7 | Drake | Pioneer | CONADEIP Stars | ONEFA | Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium | Arusha | Tanzania | 11,781 | Was played as the 2011 Kilimanjaro Bowl and was the first time an American football team played in Africa |
| August 31, 2012 | 2012 | 40–3 | John Carroll | OAC | St. Norbert | Midwest | Donnybrook Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | | |
| September 1, 2012 | 2012 | 50–10 | Notre Dame | Independent | Navy | Independent | Aviva Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | 48,820 | Was played as the Emerald Isle Classic. |
| September 13, 2014 | 2014 | 30–16 | Texas Southern | SAC | Central State | SIAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 7,802 | Was played as the HBCUX Classic |
| August 30, 2014 | 2014 | 26–24 | Penn State | Big Ten | UCF | The American | Croke Park | Dublin | Ireland | 55,000 | Was played as the Croke Park Classic. |
| December 24, 2014 | 2014 | 49–48 | Western Kentucky | C-USA | Central Michigan | MAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,667 | Was played as the 2014 Bahamas Bowl |
| March 21, 2015 | 2015 | 36–7 | Princeton | Ivy | Kwansei Gakuin | KCAFL | KINCHO Stadium | Osaka | Japan | N/A | Was played as the Legacy Bowl, a memorial exhibition game celebrating the 125th anniversary of Kwansei Gakuin University's founding. |
| December 24, 2015 | 2015 | 45–31 | Western Michigan | MAC | Middle Tennessee | C-USA | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,123 | Was played as the 2015 Bahamas Bowl |
| August 27, 2016 | 2016 | 51–31 | California | Pac-12 | Hawaiʻi | Mountain West | ANZ Stadium | Sydney | Australia | 61,247 | Played as the Sydney College Football Cup. |
| September 3, 2016 | 2016 | 17–14 | Georgia Tech | ACC | Boston College | ACC | Aviva Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | 40,562 | Played as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. |
| December 23, 2016 | 2016 | 24–20 | Old Dominion | C-USA | Eastern Michigan | MAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,422 | Played as the 2016 Bahamas Bowl. |
| August 26, 2017 | 2017 | 62–7 | Stanford | Pac-12 | Rice | C-USA | Allianz Stadium | Sydney | Australia | 33,181 | Played as the Sydney College Football Cup |
| December 22, 2017 | 2017 | 41–6 | Ohio | MAC | UAB | C-USA | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,585 | Played as the 2017 Bahamas Bowl. |
| December 21, 2018 | 2018 | 35–32 | FIU | C-USA | Toledo | MAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,510 | Played as the 2018 Bahamas Bowl. |
| March 9, 2019 | 2019 | 85–0 | Penn | Ivy | China All Stars | None | Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce Stadium | Shanghai | China | 3,200 | Played as Penn-China Global Ambassadors Bowl. |
| December 20, 2019 | 2019 | 31–9 | Buffalo | MAC | Charlotte | C-USA | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,547 | Played as the 2019 Bahamas Bowl. |
| December 17, 2021 | 2021 | 31–24 | Middle Tennessee | C-USA | Toledo | MAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 13,596 | Played as the 2021 Bahamas Bowl. |
| August 27, 2022 | 2022 | 31–28 | Northwestern | Big Ten | Nebraska | Big Ten | Aviva Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | 42,699 | Played as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. |
| December 16, 2022 | 2022 | 24–20 | UAB | C-USA | Miami (OH) | MAC | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 12,172 | Played as the 2022 Bahamas Bowl. |
| August 26, 2023 | 2023 | 42–3 | Notre Dame | Independent | Navy | The American | Aviva Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | 49,000 | Played as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. |
| August 24, 2024 | 2024 | 24–21 | Georgia Tech | ACC | Florida State | ACC | Aviva Stadium | Dublin | Ireland | 47,998 | Played as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. |
| January 4, 2025 | 2024 | 26–7 | Buffalo | MAC | Liberty | CUSA | Thomas Robinson Stadium | Nassau | Bahamas | 4,610 | Played as the 2025 Bahamas Bowl. |