The big-play passing game carrying Stanford

PALO ALTO, California -- This was supposed to be the year 2017 Heisman runner-up Bryce Love charged his way to the podium at the PlayStation Theater in midtown Manhattan, where he'd become the first Stanford player in almost a half century to claim that bronze stiff-arm trophy.

Love returned to college football this fall as one of its biggest stars, turning down the NFL for a chance to lead the Cardinal to a Pac-12 title -- if not more -- and to thrive behind an offensive line that returned four starters. He seemed well-positioned to do what Toby Gerhart, Andrew Luck, and Christian McCaffrey couldn't: bring home the Heisman.

Then K.J. Costello came to the line of scrimmage in the season…