Was there really any doubt?
2,012 rushing yards. 25 total touchdowns. A second straight Bowl victory for his team.
Ray Rice didn't just have the best season of any Rutgers athlete over the last year; he may have had the best season on the Banks ever, in any sport. He may have had the best single season of any running back in Big East football history.
The last statement may be a stretch, but he led the Big East in rushing by a monumental 684 yards. He led the conference in all-purpose yards by over 600 yards as well, and he paced the Big East in scoring by seven touchdowns.
Rice is second in Big East history in career rushing yards and third in career touchdowns. He holds Big East single-season records in rushing and is the only running back in conference history to lead the conference in rushing in back-to-back seasons.
To top it off, Rice finished third in the nation in rushing yards and second in touchdowns.
"When it's all said and done, Ray's going to be known as one of the greatest players in Rutgers history," offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah said following the International Bowl.
Rice capped his outstanding career on the Banks with a dominating performance in the International Bowl against Ball State. Employing a mix of power and speed, Rice paved his way to 280 yards and the game's MVP trophy.
The 2007 season started typically enough for Rice. Against Buffalo, Navy, and the first half vs. Norfolk State, Rice accumulated 431 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. But in consecutive losses to Maryland and Cincinnati, Rice was stymied and bottled up by strong defensive schemes, failing to break the century mark in either contest.
From that game forward, Rice was unable to be contained. He broke out with 196 yards and three touchdowns against Syracuse and followed that with 181 yards in the Scarlet Knights' biggest win of the year, an upset over then-No. 2 South Florida.
It was more of the same against West Virginia and Connecticut, but the Knights were badly outplayed and dropped both games. When Rutgers traveled to West Point for a game with Army, Rice popped off 243 yards. He had three more touchdowns against Louisville to conclude the season.
Rice capped off his final season as a Scarlet Knight with the second highest rushing total in NCAA Bowl game history, setting a new program record with 280 yards and four touchdowns.
"It's a tribute to hard work," Rice said. "Any record is great. It's fun. When I get time like we have now, I can reflect. I got a chance to reflect on how great it feels to be a part of a record-setting school."
Rice was a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection and earned second-team All-American honors in a multitude of polls. He was a finalist for the Doak Walker award, given annually to the nation's premiere running back.
After an impressive showing at the NFL Combine and th Rutgers pro-day, Rice was selected in the second round with the 55th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens.
"He's a playmaker," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "And he's not just a one-play playmaker. He's a durable playmaker. He's done it for a long time and had a lot of carries at Rutgers. He's proven that."
