As we approach the end of the 2014 calendar year, we’re looking back at the top 50 stories in college football for the year. Today, we continue on with the top 10 with our No. 4 story of 2014.

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NO. 4 — TODD GURLEY

To accurately recount Todd Gurley’s 2014 season, one must retell the story in three separate chapters — The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The good: Gurley opened the year on the short list of preseason Heisman contenders, and lived up to those expectations in his first five games. He ran for 773 yards and eight touchdowns in those five contests, and ran for at least 130 yards in four of them.

The only game he failed to rush for at least 130 yards was a 66-0 rout of Troy in which Gurley played less than a half but still ran for 73 yards on six carries.

The Dawgs third-year tailback was the frontrunner in the early season Heisman straw polls, posting incredible numbers while recording a few quintessential “Heisman moments.”

When Georgia trailed Clemson by a touchdown in Week 1, Gurley ran back a 100-yard kickoff return to tie the score as UGA went on to a huge season-opening win. Nevermind that Gurley had only returned seven career kickoffs prior to the game against the Tigers, he still delivered a huge play when his team needed it most, furthering his own Heisman campaign in the process.

And did we mention he can throw? Gurley attempted his first career pass attempt on a trick play in a win over Vanderbilt, and it just happened to go for 50 yards and a touchdown. He will leave the college ranks with a career passer rating of 520.0.

The star junior seemed well on his way to becoming the second Georgia tailback to win the Heisman (I think you know the other), and the Dawgs looked poised to overcome an early loss to South Carolina and win the SEC East crown.

It wouldn’t last.

The bad: Two days before Georgia’s seventh game of the season, a critical showdown with fellow SEC East contender Missouri, the NCAA announced Gurley was suspended indefinitely due to allegedly receiving impermissible benefits in return for signed items.

Gurley received $3,000 in total for autographs, $400 of which came from Bryan Allen and his partner Shane Smith. Allen fed the story to the media, which led to an NCAA investigation, which in turn led to a four-game suspension for the Heisman hopeful.

The Dawgs went 3-1 without Gurley and backup Nick Chubb ran for at least 140 yards in all four games, but Gurley’s Heisman campaign was derailed by the suspension. It remained an indefinite for many weeks while speculation over his punishment ran rampant, and by the time the four-game punishment was announced most had forgotten about Gurley’s early season stardom.

He made his return to the field in Georgia’s 10th game of the year, a showdown with Auburn in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

But that return would be short-lived.

The ugly: Gurley had a spring in his step when he returned the field, and he took on a heavy workload in his first game back. He carried the ball 29 times for 138 yards and a touchdown in a 34-7 rout of the Tigers, and reminded us all how dynamic he is on Saturdays.

So why is this chapter called “The Ugly?”

With five minutes left and Georgia leading by 20 with possession, Gurley surged ahead for a gain of about seven yards before planting awkwardly and going to the ground upon little contact.

He remained on the ground for an extended amount of time following the play as Georgia’s trainers examined what appeared to be a knee injury. He was gingerly helped off the field and then carted to the locker room after the game, and many feared the worst.

Gurley indeed tore the ACL in his left knee, ending his final season as a collegiate in less than one full game after the suspension. Here’s a video of the injury:

Not only would Georgia have to prematurely bid farewell to one of its greatest players in recent memory, but Gurley’s draft stock figured to drop following the injury. The school, the program, the fan base, the players and coaches and even Gurley himself were affected by the injury, throwing a wrench into what began as a promising season in Athens.

Gurley played in seven games in 2014, rushing for 911 yards and nine touchdowns at 7.4 yards per carry. Despite missing five of 12 games, he finished the season 10th in the SEC in yards and touchdown.