Japan’s XLeague regular season winds up this weekend with one game down and two to go. The Fujitsu Frontiers take on the Elecom Kobe Finies in Group A action on Sunday, November 22. The final berth in the X Bowl is still up for grabs.
These two teams last faced each other in the 2019 XLeague semifinals with Fujitsu coming out on top 31-13.
The defending and five-time champion Frontiers have waltzed through the first two rounds of regular season play with comfortable wins over IBM Big Blue (41-21) and the Nojima Sagamihara Rise (48-3). However, Elecom could give them some stiff opposition despite losing 17-14 to the Rise two weeks ago. The Kobe Finies downed IBM 35-28 in the opening game, scoring a last second touchdown for the win. Still, the loss to Nojima no doubt still stings and nothing would be sweeter than to play giant killer.
Frontiers quarterback Michael Birdsong leads a potent attack with running back Samajie Grant who is backed up by Trashaun Nixon (who also plays linebacker) along with wideouts Shunya Kotsusa (who scored a 99 yard kickoff return touchdown) and Kyohei Okaji who hauled in a touchdown pass. In other words, Fujitsu has a full arsenal of weapons.
Fujitsu Frontiers v. Elecom Kobe Finies, Nov. 22 14:00 (06:00 CET, 12 midnight ET)
For Elecom, quarterback Cody Sokol has looked impressive and in the loss threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns. In the opening round win over IBM, Sokol tossed five touchdown passes with wide receiver Alfonso Onunwor as his main target. Onunwor had 12 catches for 251 yards and three touchdowns in that game. Fujitsu’s secondary will need to keep him under control. Wide receiver Takeshi Minamimoto is another key threat for the Kobe Finies. he caught the game winner against Big Blue.
Watch the game live here. Fujitsu Frontiers v. Elecom Kobe Finies, Nov. 22 14:00 (06:00 CET, 12 midnight ET)