Running roughshod over Ball State was enough to convince Ray Rice to make a play for the NFL:

(“So long, suckers!”)

SCARLETKNIGHTS.COM reports that the International Bowl victory marked the last collegiate game for Rice, as the Rutgers RB will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2008 Draft.

Rice states, “I felt the time is right to pursue the opportunity to play at the next level,” but thanked coach Greg Schiano and the Rutgers community for their “tremendous support“.

There wasn’t much left for Ray to pursue in Piscataway anyway, after setting 13 school records in his Scarlet Knights career - such as becoming the first Rutgers & Big East Conference player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

And if for some reason the NFL doesn’t pan out, Rice can always come back to Toronto as an employee of the Argonauts.