Quarterback Keisuke Sugita led his team to an impressive seven touchdowns Sunday as Ritsumeikan University crushed Waseda University 51-14 to win their first Koshien Bowl collegiate championship in four years.
Running back Kunio Nomoto, who rushed for 77 yards on the day, got the ball in the end zone 5 minutes, 20 minutes into the first quarter before Sugita made it 14-0 with an 11-yard rush for the Panthers'offense in front of a crowd of 24,000 at Koshien Stadium.
The Big Bears scored a touchdown on a 4-yard pass in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7 but Sugita, who passed for 175 yards, and the Panthers maintained their lead as they added five touchdowns to claim their third overall championship. Ritsumeikan earned a spot in the Jan. 3 Rice Bowl against the winner of Tuesday's Tokyo Super Bowl national corporate championship game between Fujitsu and the Seagulls.