Stanford running back Bryce Love has been making some serious moves up the Heisman boards, but there is a chance he could be slowed down this weekend as Stanford prepares to take on Oregon State on Thursday night. It won’t be because Oregon State has the defense to lock down Love, though. Love is reportedly a game-time decision against the Beavers.
.@Blovee_20 may be a game-time decision to play Thursday at Oregon State. #GoStanford https://t.co/DoBPIJTuN9
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) October 25, 2017
Love suffered an ankle injury in a win against Oregon on October 14. After getting a bye week to rest up and heal, it appears the ankle concern is still enough of an issue to possibly force Love to sit out the Thursday night game.
Oregon State likely poses little threat against the Cardinal with or without Love, so giving the key cog in the Stanford offense another week off to rest the ankle would make sense for the bigger picture. Stanford is still in the thick of the Pac-12 championship hunt with a 4-1 conference record putting the Cardinal in a tie for first-place in the Pac-12 North. Next week, Stanford visits Washington State, with the Cougars also owning a 4-1 mark in Pac-12 play and sitting atop the Pac-12 entering this week (Washington, the defending Pac-12 champion, is 3-1 in Pac-12 play going into this week). Love will be a factor in the Pac-12 North race the next two weeks with Stanford following up their road trip to Washington State with a home game against Washington.