As he left a college football field for the final time in his incomparable career, Dayne steadily plowed through the crowd, a slight grin on his face and his MVP trophy cradled in his right hand.
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| Wisconsin's Ron Dayne holds his MVP trophy aloft. |
The final result: a 17-9 victory for Wisconsin and a fitting cap to Dayne's record-setting career.
He rushed for 154 of his 200 yards in the second half Saturday, breaking down the Cardinal's inspired defensive front through perseverance and desire.
"Ron never gets down when he's not running well," offensive tackle Chris McIntosh said. "He's probably the most determined guy I know."
For the third time, Dayne was named the MVP in a bowl game. The NCAA's career rushing leader won his second Rose Bowl MVP award to go with his 1996 Copper Bowl MVP trophy. Dayne ran for 692 yards in those three bowl games.
"We've come to expect Ron Dayne to play well in games like this," coach Barry Alvarez said. "It's going to be tough to lose him."
Afterward, Dayne joined his teammates in a locker room celebration before removing his Wisconsin jersey for the final time and facing the media. He tugged and twisted his yellow tie, looking much less comfortable than he had in his red-and-white uniform.
Dayne said he realized that the final chapter of his career was closing, but he didn't want to think about it immediately.
"It just feels like I'm leaving home," Dayne said. "I left home for my freshman year and came to Wisconsin, and now it feels like I'm leaving a second home for someplace else.
"I hope it won't hit me when I'm out in front of everybody. I hope it'll happen in front of my girl and my daughter."
Dayne gained 46 yards on 12 carries in a dismal first half for the Wisconsin offense. Improbably, Stanford's injured defensive front was winning its battle with the Badgers' vaunted offensive line, and quarterback Brooks Bollinger made several freshman mistakes.
But after a spirited halftime motivational speech from Alvarez, the Badgers finally made a sustained offensive drive to open the second half, and Dayne led the way.
He made a 64-yard run that brought the Wisconsin crowd to its feet and turned the game's momentum toward the Badgers. He scored two plays later on a 4-yard end run.
On his 64-yard rumble, Dayne became the first major college player to rush for 7,000 career yards. His touchdown made him the Rose Bowl's leading career scorer after he ran for 246 yards and four touchdowns against UCLA last season.
He asserted himself again in the fourth quarter, rushing for 66 yards on 14 carries. Finally, the Stanford defense tired and crumbled before him as he carried the ball seven times over the final 6:16.
The final carry of his career was a 6-yard rush over the left side for one final first down, which allowed the Badgers to run out the clock. As time expired, Dayne removed his helmet and held it aloft as the Wisconsin crowd roared.
"I didn't really envision it ending this way ... but it's great," Dayne said. "The Rose Bowl is probably the best bowl, I think. I've been here twice, and I've had so much fun."
