USC, injury hamper Pac-12 title performance of Bryce Love

Stanford’s inactive players, some holding towels to block him from the view of cameras, huddled around Bryce Love as he had his injured ankle re-taped during the fourth quarter Friday night.

That might have been the best protection the junior running back had all night during the Cardinal’s 31-28 Pac-12 Championship Game loss to USC at Levi’s Stadium.

Love, who has danced through holes all season and skipped through a nagging injury for much of it, never quite looked like a Heisman candidate against the Trojans. He struggled to find running lanes, failed to break away from USC’s speed and eventually limped off the field.