Quarterback Kei Saito threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Takato Kido and Junya Miwa kicked three field goals, leading the Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters to a 23-9 triumph over the Nihon University Phoenix on Sunday at Koshien Stadium in the 68th Koshien Bowl.
The victory gave the Fighters their third straight collegiate national championship and 26th overall. The Fighters play the X League champion, which will be decided between the Fujitsu Frontiers and the Obic Seagulls in Monday's Japan X Bowl, on Jan. 3 at Tokyo Dome in the Rice Bowl for the overall national crown.
"We abandoned our struggling running plays and turned to passing, and that worked out to score points," Kwansei Gakuin head coach Hideaki Toriuchi said. "We have lost to the X League champion the past two seasons, and winning in the Rice Bowl has been our goal this year."