Underdog Waseda University threatened to end Kansai schools' stranglehold on the Koshien Bowl national collegiate football championship on Sunday, but Kyoto's Ritsumeikan University came out on top in the end with a 28-27 win in the tournament's 70th anniversary.

Ritsumeikan got off to a 21-0 lead, but Waseda, the Kanto champion, resiliently bounced back. The Big Bears scored 24 unanswered points to take a lead late in the third quarter.

Ritsumeikan scored a touchdown to retake the lead early in the final quarter, but Waseda made a field goal to make it a one-point game.