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2013 Rose Bowl MVP Watch: Stanford RB Stepfan Taylor

The Rose Bowl MVP award would be a fitting cap to Taylor's third-straight 1000 yard season.

Ezra Shaw

There are a number of players who could earn MVP honors in the 2013 Rose Bowl, but Stanford Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor has to be considered among the front-runners. Taylor was the driving force behind the rushing attack that helped bring Stanford their first conference championship in more than a decade.

The Cardinal leaned heavily on Taylor in the 2012 season as a source of stability. He was No. 7 in the nation in number of carries, rushing 302 times for 1442 yards. That's a 110.9 yards per game average, something that kept defenses honest and opened up big opportunities for the rest of the Stanford offense.

Taylor could easily have a big day on Tuesday. Wisconsin was ranked 22nd against the rush, giving up an average of 124.5 yards per game.

The 2013 Rose Bowl Game takes place on Tuesday, January 1 in Pasadena. Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. PST, with television coverage provided by ESPN.