Two of Japan’s top teams over the past decade will face off this Sunday as multi year champions, the Obic Seagulls will face the 2016 Pearl Bowl winners IBM Big Blue.
The Seagulls have returned to dominance in the X League in 2016 and enter the game undefeated with a 4-0 record. Meanwhile IBM has lost two of their four games but by the narrowest of margins to the Fujitsu Frontiers, 2016 X Bowl finalists, and the Lixil Deers, 2016 semifinalists.
Battle of UCLA Quarterbacks
All eyes will be on the quarterbacking duel between IBM’s Kevin Craft (#3) and Jerry Neuheisel (#15) now playing for the Seagulls. Both Craft and Neuheisel are former UCLA quarterbacks. Craft is now a veteran of Japanese football having joined the Big Blue in 2012. Neuheisel arrived this year to play for Obic.
Jerry Neuheisel
Neuheisel has started three of Obic’s four games this season and helped the Seagulls become one of the top offenses in the X League.
Kevin Craft
Craft on the other hand, has suffered through an injury which sidelined him early in the season. He returned for the game against the Lixil Deers. Since joining the Big Blue in 2012 Craft has led or been close to the lead in passing every year since.
