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This bowl season has been very good to me, and tonight's Orange Bowl marks the last of my large plays. As a rectangle (slightly evolved square) who looks for tasty unders on the card each week, I have followed Iowa closely, and profited from what they are. What they are: a team with a solid enough defense to shut down most Big 10 squads, and so little offense that the defense comes to look better than they are.
I think Georgia Tech will lay a Nebraska-sized beating on the Hawkeyes, and I'll give you 5 good reasons why.
1. Ricky Stanzi -- Here are some amazing numbers to ponder regarding the Iowa QB, who threw 15 TDs and 14 INTs against a slate that included N. Iowa, Iowa State, and Ark. St.
November 7th: Last game Stanzi played
October 31: Last game Stanzi won (threw 5 INTs)
October 10: Last time Stanzi threw for more than 1 TD
I don't care how much time Iowa has to prepare for the option, there is no amount of time that can help you prepare for the fact that your quarterback sucks.
2. Weeks to prepare is really over-rated here. Yes, Ferentz had 4 weeks to simulate the option in practice and get his players ready, but you could really argue that Ohio State was the only good rushing team that Iowa squared off against all season. Result: they gave up 229 rushing yards.
3. Iowa has no offensive playmakers. They simply don't. They are a well-coached team, who has been good on 3rd downs, and good at scoring the 13-20 points needed to win (due to a strong defense). Yes, they have waged nice comebacks against Indiana and Northern Iowa, but tonight's game isn't going to be played against anybody that remotely resembles Indiana or Northern Iowa.
4. Good defense hasn't stopped Ga Tech. Against Va Tech and Clemson, GTech rushed for 309 and 333 yards respectively. Those games both stayed close because Va Tech had the firepower to score 23 and Clemson to score 34. If you think Iowa is going to hang with them in a shootout, I urge you to YouTube some Hawkeye season highlights: Iowa has exactly ONE rushing play of more than 30 yards this season.
5. Ricky Stanzi again. He is the worst QB to start for a major conference team in a bowl game, and I dare you to disagree with me about that tomorrow. If they get behind (and they will), his three-flies-up version of downfield passing is not going to work out well against an athletic GTech secondary.
Ga Tech -5 large. Good luck.
I think Georgia Tech will lay a Nebraska-sized beating on the Hawkeyes, and I'll give you 5 good reasons why.
1. Ricky Stanzi -- Here are some amazing numbers to ponder regarding the Iowa QB, who threw 15 TDs and 14 INTs against a slate that included N. Iowa, Iowa State, and Ark. St.
November 7th: Last game Stanzi played
October 31: Last game Stanzi won (threw 5 INTs)
October 10: Last time Stanzi threw for more than 1 TD
I don't care how much time Iowa has to prepare for the option, there is no amount of time that can help you prepare for the fact that your quarterback sucks.
2. Weeks to prepare is really over-rated here. Yes, Ferentz had 4 weeks to simulate the option in practice and get his players ready, but you could really argue that Ohio State was the only good rushing team that Iowa squared off against all season. Result: they gave up 229 rushing yards.
3. Iowa has no offensive playmakers. They simply don't. They are a well-coached team, who has been good on 3rd downs, and good at scoring the 13-20 points needed to win (due to a strong defense). Yes, they have waged nice comebacks against Indiana and Northern Iowa, but tonight's game isn't going to be played against anybody that remotely resembles Indiana or Northern Iowa.
4. Good defense hasn't stopped Ga Tech. Against Va Tech and Clemson, GTech rushed for 309 and 333 yards respectively. Those games both stayed close because Va Tech had the firepower to score 23 and Clemson to score 34. If you think Iowa is going to hang with them in a shootout, I urge you to YouTube some Hawkeye season highlights: Iowa has exactly ONE rushing play of more than 30 yards this season.
5. Ricky Stanzi again. He is the worst QB to start for a major conference team in a bowl game, and I dare you to disagree with me about that tomorrow. If they get behind (and they will), his three-flies-up version of downfield passing is not going to work out well against an athletic GTech secondary.
Ga Tech -5 large. Good luck.
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