TORONTO — Ray Rice ran over Ball State and through the 2,000-yard barrier, giving Rutgers its second postseason win in the school's 138-year history and leaving the Scarlet Knights wondering if he'll scamper off to the NFL.

The junior, who kept mum on his plans for the draft, ran for 280 yards and four touchdowns, including a career-long 90-yarder to lift the Scarlet Knights to a 52-30 win over the Ball State Cardinals yesterday.

"I've been around some great running backs, both in college football and the National Football League," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "This guy, what he did today, was second to none. It's an amazing performance."

Rutgers (8-5), which played the first college football game, hadn't won a bowl game before last year. Now the program has won two in a row, following a 37-10 win over Kansas State in the 2006 Texas Bowl, another blowout.

Ball State (7-6), meanwhile, is still waiting for its first bowl win in six tries.

"Obviously we're disappointed in the outcome," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "We gave up some big plays and when you give up big plays, either running the football or with balls over your head, it kills the flow of the team."

Rice, whose 25 touchdowns this season are a school record, has yet to announce whether he'll skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Players who choose to declare for the draft must do so by Jan. 15.

"Me and coach will sit down once we get back to New Jersey and decide on that," was all Rice would say.

On the Scarlet Knights' first drive of the third quarter, Rice took the ball at his own 10-yard line, broke through the line of scrimmage and raced down the left sideline, fighting off two tacklers before diving into the end zone.

"That was the longest run of my life," Rice said. "I'm talking about Pop Warner, high school, everything."

Rice ended the third with a 12-yard run, making him the first Big East player to break 2,000 yards. Rice's 2,012 yards this season are behind only Central Florida's Kevin Smith and Tulane's Matt Forte.

RUTGERS 14 10 14 14—52

BALL ST. 3 6 7 14—30

FIRST QUARTER

Rut—Brown 36 pass from Teel (Ito kick), 12:29.

Rut—Rice 1 run (Ito kick), 2:14.

BSU—FG McGarvey 47, :35.

SECOND QUARTER

Rut—FG Ito 53, 11:16.

BSU—FG McGarvey 24, 6:50.

Rut—Rice 1 run (Ito kick), :40.

BSU—FG McGarvey 32, :00.

THIRD QUARTER

Rut—Rice 90 run (Ito kick), 11:13.

BSU—Love 10 pass from N.Davis (McGarvey kick), 9:43.

Rut—Rice 1 run (Ito kick), 2:42.

FOURTH QUARTER

BSU—D.Hill 6 pass from N.Davis (McGarvey kick), 10:02.

Rut—Underwood 35 pass from Teel (Ito kick), 9:55.

Rut—Britt 47 pass from Teel (Ito kick), 4:21.

BSU—D.Hill 1 pass from N.Davis (McGarvey kick), 2:05.

A—31,455.

RUT BSU

First downs 25 27.

Rushes-yards 41-292 31-169.

Passing 303 291.

Comp-Att-Int 16-26-1 25-49-0.

Return Yards 0 21.

Punts-Avg. 3-35.3 5-41.2.

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1.

Penalties-Yards 6-58 3-25.

Time of Possession 30:01 29:59.

RUSHING—Rutgers, Rice 35-280, Robinson 4-14, Brown 1-10, Teel 1-(minus 12). Ball St., Clancy 12-98, N.Davis 13-38, Love 4-28, Edmonds 2-5.

PASSING—Rutgers, Teel 16-25-1-303, Robinson 0-1-0-0. Ball St., N.Davis 25-49-0-291.

RECEIVING—Rutgers, Britt 6-125, Underwood 3-72, Brown 2-57, Brock 2-20, Rice 2-15, Corcoran 1-14. Ball St., Love 13-169, D.Hill 9-89, Ifft 2-20, Grant 1-13.

ELSEWHERE

Senior Bowl: Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and his staff will direct the North team in the Senior Bowl. Kiffin was assigned the game yesterday, a day after San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan and his staff were put in charge of the South team for the Jan. 26 game.

Texas A&M: Seattle Seahawks receivers coach Nolan Cromwell was hired as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator yesterday. Cromwell will join the Aggies and new coach Mike Sherman after the Seahawks' season ends. Seattle will play at Green Bay on Saturday in the NFL playoffs.