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The Kantō League is the major college football league in East Japan. Since the 2011 fall season the Kantō League champion plays against the North Japan representative for the East Japan championship. The winner of the East Japan championship plays against the winner of the West Japan championship in the Kōshien Bowl in December for the college championship.
Since the beginning of the 2014 fall season the Division 1 plays in a new format. The old lineup with two conferences and a championship game (Azuma Bowl) was replaced by a split into two subdivisions, the Top 8 and the Big 8. The Top 8 represent the highest level of play. The Top 8 winner will be the league champion. There will be no championship game. The 7th and 8th place teams from the Top 8 will play replacement games against the 1st and 2nd place teams from the Big 8.
For the 2023 season the KCFA changed the format for the Top 8 - going back to the pre-corona tournament method with the eight teams playing a round-robin tournament. The winner will be the Kantō League champion and play for the East Japan championship. The Big 8 will again play with ten teams, split into two blocks (A and B) with five teams each. In the first stage of the season (Primary League) the teams will play round-robin games within their blocks. In the second stage the Big 8 will be split in a Top Secondary League with the 1st through 3rd place finishers from blocks A and B and a Lower Secondary League with the 4th and 5th place finishers from blocks A and B. In the Top Secondary League the teams will play against the teams from the opposite block. In the Lower Secondary League the teams will play round-robin games. The results from the Primary League games will be carried over. The 9th and 10th place teams will be automatically demoted to Division 2 while the 5th to 8th place teams will play replacement games against the top four teams of Division 2.
| Top 8 | | |
| Week 1 |
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| 9/2 | Hōsei University Orange | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 9/3 | Chūō University Raccoons | Rikkyō University Rushers | 14-20 |
| 9/3 | Waseda University Big Bears | Keiō University Unicorns | 17-0 |
| 9/3 | Meiji University Griffins | Tōkyō University Warriors | 27-7 |
| Week 2 |
|---|
| 9/16 | Chūō University Raccoons | Tōkyō University Warriors | 21-11 |
| 9/16 | Waseda University Big Bears | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 9/16 | Hōsei University Orange | Keiō University Unicorns | 21-14 |
| 9/16 | Meiji University Griffins | Rikkyō University Rushers | 10-14 |
| Week 3 |
|---|
| 9/30 | Meiji University Griffins | Keiō University Unicorns | 20-0 |
| 9/30 | Waseda University Big Bears | Tōkyō University Warriors | 44-0 |
| 10/1 | Chūō University Raccoons | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 10/1 | Hōsei University Orange | Rikkyō University Rushers | 6-3 |
| Week 4 |
|---|
| 10/14 | Chūō University Raccoons | Keiō University Unicorns | 3-7 |
| 10/14 | Meiji University Griffins | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 10/15 | Hōsei University Orange | Tōkyō University Warriors | 20-0 |
| 10/15 | Waseda University Big Bears | Rikkyō University Rushers | 20-21 |
| Week 5 |
|---|
| 10/28 | Tōkyō University Warriors | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 10/28 | Hōsei University Orange | Meiji University Griffins | 14-6 |
| 10/29 | Rikkyō University Rushers | Keiō University Unicorns | 31-6 |
| 10/29 | Waseda University Big Bears | Chūō University Raccoons | 36-0 |
| Week 6 |
|---|
| 11/11 | Tōkyō University Warriors | Keiō University Unicorns | 20-45 |
| 11/12 | Rikkyō University Rushers | Nihon University Phoenix | 0-0 |
| 11/12 | Waseda University Big Bears | Meiji University Griffins | 7-16 |
| 11/12 | Hōsei University Orange | Chūō University Raccoons | 44-7 |
| Week 7 |
|---|
| 11/23 | Meiji University Griffins | Chūō University Raccoons | 31-6 |
| 11/23 | Waseda University Big Bears | Hōsei University Orange | 26-6 |
| 11/23 | Rikkyō University Rushers | Tōkyō University Warriors | 62-35 |
| 11/26 | Nihon University Phoenix | Keiō University Unicorns | 0-0 |
| Team | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Hōsei University Orange | 5 | 1 | 0 | 111 | 56 | 15 |
| Rikkyō University Rushers | 5 | 1 | 0 | 151 | 91 | 15 |
| Meiji University Griffins | 4 | 2 | 0 | 110 | 48 | 12 |
| Waseda University Big Bears | 4 | 2 | 0 | 150 | 43 | 12 |
| Keiō University Unicorns | 2 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 112 | 6 |
| Chūō University Raccoons | 1 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 149 | 3 |
| Tōkyō University Warriors | 0 | 6 | 0 | 73 | 219 | 0 |
| Nihon University Phoenix* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(* Nihon withdrew from competition due to allegations of drug use by members of the team.)
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| Big 8 | | |
| Primary League Block A | | |
| Week 1 |
|---|
| 9/9 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 21-10 |
| 9/9 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | Senshū University Green Machine | 13-6 |
| Week 2 |
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| 9/23 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Senshū University Green Machine | 10-28 |
| 9/24 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 58-0 |
| Week 3 |
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| 10/1 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | 35-13 |
| 10/1 | Senshū University Green Machine | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 24-3 |
| Week 4 |
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| 10/14 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | 24-14 |
| 10/15 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 45-0 |
| Week 5 |
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| 10/22 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Senshū University Green Machine | 13-18 |
| 10/22 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Komazawa University Blue Tide | 0-21 |
| Team | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Komazawa University Blue Tide | 4 | 0 | 0 | 114 | 19 | 12 |
| Senshū University Green Machine | 3 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 39 | 9 |
| Yokohama National University Mastiffs | 2 | 2 | 0 | 55 | 73 | 6 |
| Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | 1 | 3 | 0 | 98 | 77 | 3 |
| Sophia University Golden Eagles | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 148 | 0 |
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| Big 8 | | |
| Primary League Block B | | |
| Week 1 |
|---|
| 9/9 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | Tōkai University Tritons | 33-13 |
| 9/10 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 27-21 |
| Week 2 |
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| 9/24 | NSSU Triumphant Lion | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 30-21 |
| 9/24 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | Tōkai University Tritons | 26-7 |
| Week 3 |
|---|
| 10/1 | Tōkai University Tritons | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 12-31 |
| 10/1 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | NSSU Triumphant Lion | 17-20 |
| Week 4 |
|---|
| 10/14 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 14-17 |
| 10/14 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | NSSU Triumphant Lion | 30-8 |
| Week 5 |
|---|
| 10/21 | NSSU Triumphant Lion | Tōkai University Tritons | 17-7 |
| 10/21 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | 10-16 |
| Team | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | 3 | 1 | 0 | 93 | 52 | 9 |
| NSSU Triumphant Lion | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75 | 75 | 9 |
| Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 2 | 2 | 0 | 90 | 83 | 6 |
| Meiji Gakuin University Saints | 2 | 2 | 0 | 80 | 60 | 6 |
| Tōkai University Tritons | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 107 | 0 |
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| Big 8 | | |
| Top Secondary League | | |
| Week 1 |
|---|
| 11/4 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 12-18 |
| 11/4 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | 27-13 |
| 11/4 | Senshū University Green Machine | NSSU Triumphant Lion | 3-5 |
| Week 2 |
|---|
| 11/19 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 10-37 |
| 11/19 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | NSSU Triumphant Lion | 21-6 |
| 11/19 | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | Senshū University Green Machine | 7-10 |
| Week 3 |
|---|
| 12/3 | NSSU Triumphant Lion | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | 10-0 |
| 12/3 | Komazawa University Blue Tide | Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | 14-21 |
| 12/3 | Senshū University Green Machine | Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 16-17 |
| Team | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Ōbirin University Three Nails Crowns | 5 | 2 | 0 | 148 | 89 | 15 |
| Komazawa University Blue Tide | 5 | 2 | 0 | 161 | 64 | 15 |
| Aoyama Gakuin University Lightning | 5 | 2 | 0 | 162 | 121 | 15 |
| NSSU Triumphant Lion | 5 | 2 | 0 | 96 | 99 | 15 |
| Senshū University Green Machine | 4 | 3 | 0 | 105 | 68 | 12 |
| Yokohama National University Mastiffs | 2 | 5 | 0 | 78 | 147 | 6 |
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| Big 8 | | |
| Lower Secondary League | | |
| Week 1 |
|---|
| 11/4 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Tōkai University Tritons | 30-17 |
| 11/5 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 11-14 |
| Week 2 |
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| 11/18 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Sophia University Golden Eagles | 36-9 |
| 11/18 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | Tōkai University Tritons | 17-7 |
| Week 3 |
|---|
| 12/2 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | 16-24 |
| 12/2 | Sophia University Golden Eagles | Tōkai University Tritons | 19-16 |
| Team | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Meiji Gakuin University Saints | 4 | 3 | 0 | 132 | 97 | 12 |
| Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | 3 | 4 | 0 | 180 | 120 | 9 |
| Sophia University Golden Eagles | 2 | 5 | 0 | 55 | 211 | 6 |
| Tōkai University Tritons | 0 | 7 | 0 | 79 | 173 | 0 |
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| Top 8 Postseason | | |
| East Japan Playoff 1 | | |
| 11/11 | Meijō University Golden Lions | Hokkaidō University Big Green | 33-6 |
| East Japan Playoff 2 | (Kakuda Bowl) | |
| 11/19 | Tōhoku University Hornets | Meijō University Golden Lions | 21-11 |
| East Japan Championship | (AOBA Bowl) | |
| 12/3 | Hōsei University Orange | Tōhoku University Hornets | 42-7 |
| Kōshien Bowl | | |
| 12/17 | Hōsei University Orange | Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters | 21-61 |
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| Relegation Top 8 vs Big 8 | | |
| 12/16 | Tōkyō University Warriors | Komazawa University Blue Tide | 35-21 |
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| Relegation Big 8 vs Division 2 | | |
| 12/16 | Senshū University Green Machine | Seikei University Zelkovas | 0-10 |
| 12/17 | Yokohama National University Mastiffs | Teikyō University Gladiator | 5-10 |
| 12/17 | Meiji Gakuin University Saints | Kanagawa University Atoms | 21-27 |
| 12/17 | Kokushikan University Rhinoceros | Tsukuba University Excaliburs | 31-14 |
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Hometowns:
Aoyama Gakuin, Chūō, Hōsei, Komazawa, Meiji, Meiji Gakuin, Nihon, NSSU, Rikkyō, Senshū, Sophia, Tōkai, Tōkyō, Waseda (all Tōkyō), Ōbirin (Machida), Kokushikan (Setagaya), Keiō, Yokohama National (all Yokohama).
Standings:
In the Kantō League the winner gets three points.
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