TAMPA, Fla. — From carrying couches to an All-American carrying a football. Now, Big Ten MVP Shonn Greene figures he's ready for the next level.

The Iowa running back turned yesterday's Outback Bowl into a farewell party, leading the Hawkeyes past South Carolina, 31-10, and then announcing he intends to skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

"I don't think there's really a lot more I can do here," Greene said. "People talk about the Heisman, but I think that's a lot of politics. I don't like getting caught up in all of that, so I just figure I'll try my chances."

Greene ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in all 13 of Iowa's games, scored in all but one, and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back.

"He's been the same guy each and every week," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said, using words like "humble" and "modest" to describe the 235-pound junior, who worked at a furniture store and didn't play football while attending community college to improve his grades.

Greene, of Sicklerville, N.J., finished with school single-season records of 1,850 yards and 20 TDs.

"I'm speechless right now. I never imagined this happening. All the success, all the accolades and stuff like that," said Greene, who sat out the 2007 season after losing his scholarship because of academic problems.

He said earlier this week he planned to meet with his family and consider information from the NFL college advisory committee before making a decision on whether to turn pro.

His Outback performance sealed the deal.

Iowa (9-4) won for the sixth time in seven games since losing three straight to fall to 3-3. South Carolina (7-6) lost three straight down the stretch while being outscored 118-30.

Greene scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to help Iowa build a 21-0 halftime lead, then added an 11-yarder to make it 31-0 late in the third quarter.