Stanford's Bryce Love to Skip Sun Bowl vs. Pitt to Focus on 2019 NFL Draft

Stanford running back Bryce Love announced Monday that he will not play in the team's bowl game and instead focus on the 2019 NFL draft: 

The Cardinal are set to face Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 but will have to do it without the senior running back.

Love will finish his final season with just 739 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 10 games.

This season has been nothing short of a disappointment for Love, who has been limited by ankle problems and missed three games due to injuries.

The running back was one of the most explosive players in college football last season, totaling 2,118 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American, finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the best running back in the country.

Unfortunately, he couldn't come close to matching this level of production in 2018.

Even when he was on the field, Love struggled with his efficiency while averaging 4.5 yards per carry, a major drop from his 8.1 yards per carry in 2017.

Still, his upside will be enough to interest NFL teams come draft time. According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Love is the No. 6 running back in the class with the best speed at the position.

By skipping the bowl game, he avoids risking further injury that would exacerbate his already falling draft stock.