Rutgers running back Rice will enter NFL draft

Updated: January 8, 2008, 5:07 PM ET

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Associated Press

A Side Of Rice

Rutgers Rutgers' Ray Rice didn't even have the best rushing performance of the 2008 bowl season, but his 280 yards in the International Bowl was the third all-time best rushing yardage in a bowl game.

Player	Bowl	Yards
P.J. Daniels, Georgia Tech	2004 Humanitarian	307
Tony Temple, Missouri	2008 Cotton	281
Ray Rice, Rutgers	2008 International	280*
James Gray, Texas Tech	1989 All-American	280
Curtis Dickey, Texas A&M	1978 Hall of Fame	276
* Rutgers single-game record

NEWARK, N.J. -- Ray Rice will skip his senior year to enter the NFL draft after becoming the leading rusher in Rutgers history and transforming the Scarlet Knights into a Top 25 team.

"I have always dreamed of playing in the NFL, and I felt the time is right to pursue the opportunity to play at the next level," he said in a statement Tuesday.

His decision came three days after he ran for 280 yard and scored four touchdowns in a 52-30 victory over Ball State in the International Bowl. It was Rutgers' third straight bowl game and second straight bowl win after the school went 27 years without qualifying for a bowl.

In his three seasons, the Scarlet Knights were 26-12 after failing to finish above .500 in the 12 previous seasons.

"I am very happy for Ray and his family," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "He has been one of the elite players in college football during his career at Rutgers. Although we will miss him greatly, we all look forward to watching him play on Sundays."

Rice and Schiano are to hold a news conference on Wednesday.

Rice leaves Rutgers with numerous records, including career yards rushing (4,926), career rushing touchdowns (49) and yards rushing in a season (2,012) and game (280). He became the 13th player in NCAA history to gain more than 2,000 yards in a season. He made The Associated Press' All-America second team as a sophomore and junior.