Stanford's Bryce Love was Arguably as Impactful as Christian McCaffrey

Growing up just five minutes away from campus, I have always been a fan of Stanford. Being just seven years old watching the Cardinal be dominant, winning rivalry games, Bowl games, and producing NFL talent, the Cardinal truly started my love for football.

During the early years of my fandom, two players truly stuck out as some of my favorites, as well as the best: running backs Christian McCaffrey and Bryce Love.

My friends and I used to debate at the lunch table every day who truly was the better player, and now it is time to bring that debate to the internet. Which Stanford running back of the 2010's was truly the best?

Christian McCaffrey played from 2014-16, where he was one of the Cardinal’s best overall players. As a freshman, he had 551 scrimmage yards, a great feat for a young player, but nowhere near the heights he would soon reach.

McCaffrey’s sophomore season was incredible. He hit the 2,000 yard threshold just running the ball, but added 645 receiving yards as well. He finished second in Heisman voting, and carried the Cardinal to another great season.

In his final season with the Cardinal as a junior, he was slightly worse. However, 1,913 yards still put him No. 9 in the Heisman voting, giving him a total tally of 5,128 scrimmage yards over his three-year career. McCaffrey has obviously gone on to have a tremendous NFL career and is the player that ended up having the better future, but that's not what we're debating.

Stanford went 30-10 in his time, including a third place finish in the country in 2015.

People may not remember, but Bryce Love had similar success. His first two years were behind McCaffrey, but he played well in a backup role, where he put up 1,342 scrimmage yards over two seasons--as the backup.

Finally, he was given the spotlight putting up a ridiculous 2,151 yard season, finishing second in Heisman voting. Once Love’s name was called, he truly delivered.

As a senior, he had a similar falloff to McCaffrey, but to a bigger extent. He had just 838 scrimmage yards and led the Cardinal to a 9-4 record.

In his time on the Farm, Love arguably had more team success. In four years, they went 40-14, with their lowest win total in a season being nine. On a winning percentage basis, McCaffrey's teams won 75% of their games, while Love's won 74%.

Both players were absolute legends for not only Stanford but throughout college football, as evidenced by their Heisman finishes. They represented Stanford football, and what it means to be an athlete on The Farm.

With all of that being said, I'll have to give it to Bryce Love. Love played a massive role as a backup for two seasons while McCaffrey starred, but when his turn was called, he stepped up. His ability to play multiple roles on a team truly separates him, especially considering he was a part of 40 wins in four seasons while on the farm.

Regardless, what both of these players meant to Stanford is massive, as they truly represent the beauty, and the standard, of Stanford football.