TORONTO - After recording the third most rushing total in NCAA Division IA bowl history Saturday, Rutgers University running back Ray Rice attempted to dodge around calling his record-breaking performance the best of his season.
"Well..." Rice said hesitantly.
Before Rice could point out any negatives, however, Scarlet Knights' coach Greg Schiano finished the junior's answer for him.
"I'll answer that for him; it was his best game," Schiano said. "This guy is as special as they come. I've been around some great, great running backs - both in college and in the National Football League - and what [Rice] did [Saturday] is second to none that I've seen."
Playing under the chants of "one more year" that rang from the Rutgers faithful - indicating their desire for Rice to return for his senior season - the junior finished with 280 rushing yards on 35 carries, an average of eight yards per rush. He also scored a career-high four touchdowns and became the 14th running back in NCAA Division IA history to record at least 2,000 yards, ending the 2007 season with 2,012.
Ball State coach Brady Hoke said he was happy with the job his defense did against Rice in the first half but was disappointed the effort didn't continue in the final 30 minutes when it allowed 170 yards.
"When a guy rushes for that many yards, you've got to do a better job of tackling and fitting the run," Hoke said. "That's something that's been an Achille's heel for us. I thought in the first half our guys did a pretty good job, and it just got away from us."
Rice's most notable run of the day came on a third-and-two play from Rutgers' 10-yard line with slightly more than 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter. After taking the handoff, Rice bounced outside left tackle and rumbled untouched until he stuck Ball State safety Eddie Burk with a stiff arm at the Cardinals' 37-yard line. After Burk fell down, Rice raced the rest of the way for a 90-yard touchdown, which tied a Rutgers' school record for longest run.
"That was the longest run of my life," Rice said with a laugh. "I mean, I'm talking about Pop Warner, high school, everything."
The score gave the Scarlet Knights a 31-9 advantage less than four minutes into the second half. Even though Ball State's offense responded five plays later with its first touchdown of the game, senior linebacker Cortlan Booker said Rice's 90-yard scamper was a demoralizing blow to the Cardinals' defense.
"It's tough to be on the field and for something like that to happen," Booker said. "For the momentum of the football game, for what we're trying to get done when we [punt to Rutgers] down at the three- or four-yard line, it's definitely a blow when someone breaks a run that big."
Rice's long run showcased his preferred method of gaining yards against Ball State's defense as he repeatedly picked up large chunks of yardage running on the perimeter of Ball State's defense.
Hoke said there were no easy adjustments to lock down on Rice's inside runs while containing the junior on the perimeter.
"You've just got to do a better job of fitting the defense right and doing your job," Hoke said. "That's something we talk about every time we come off the field. You have to give [Rice] credit, and you have give [Rutgers'] offensive line credit."
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