Iowa's Karl Klug (95), Pat Angerer (43) and Broderick Binns (91) celebrate after stopping a Georgia Tech run during the first half of the Orange Bowl Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010 at Land Shark Stadium in Miami, FL. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)
GAME MVP
Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi. One bad pass aside, Stanzi returned in style for the Hawkeyes. He tossed two touchdown passes and rushed for one key first down midway through the fourth quarter.
Stanzi completed 17 of 29 passes for 231 yards. He missed the last two regular-season games after suffering an ankle injury against Northwestern on Nov. 7.
NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa. Clayborn finished with nine tackles, including two sacks.
TURNING POINT
Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer took a pitch at the Yellow Jackets’ 12 and raced backward. He nearly was tackled in the end zone for a safety by Adrian Clayborn. Dwyer barely got the ball over the goal line, but the Yellow Jackets faced second and 21. Georgia Tech reached the 4 before punting.
Iowa scored on its next possession to ice the game.
HE’S ONLY A FRESHMAN?
Iowa true freshman running back Brandon Wegher rushed for 113 yards and the game-deciding touchdown. Wegher has rushed for eight touchdowns this year, breaking the school record for TDs by a freshman.
Wegher broke the record previously held by current red-shirt sophomore Jewel Hampton, who missed this season with a knee injury. Hampton had seven touchdowns last year.
STROSS IS BOSS
Iowa wide receiver Trey Stross came up with one of the biggest catches of his career late in the fourth quarter. With Iowa leading by three points and facing third and 8, Stross found an opening in the middle of the field, Stross settled into it and hauled in a 9-yard pass to give the Hawkeyes a first down at midfield.
Stross, a senior, wasn’t expected to play after wearing a knee brace all week leading into the game.
GETTING NUTTY
Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt’s first-quarter touchdown reception was his eighth of the season, fourth-best in school history. McNutt caught four passes for 21 yards in the game.
BIG TEN BOWL WOES?
Big Ten teams finished 4-3 in bowl games this year. The last time the Big Ten posted a winning bowl record was in 2002, when the league went 5-2. Iowa lost the Orange Bowl that season to Southern California.
The league’s top four teams all finished with at least 10 wins. Ohio State, Iowa and Penn State each had 11 wins, while Wisconsin posted 10. Ohio State and Iowa defeated conference champions in Bowl Championship Series games.
The Big Ten had lost its last six BCS bowl games until this season. Iowa had not won a major bowl game since the 1959 Rose Bowl.
ENTER SANDEMAN
Colin Sandeman scored his first touchdown since the second game of the 2008 season on a 21-yard fade route. The Bettendorf junior wide receiver caught that pass against Florida International, which is located in Miami.
FINAL FOUR
Iowa quarterback Rick Stanzi threw his fourth interception for a touchdown this season, when Georgia Tech cornerback Jerrod Tarrant stepped in front of wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and returned the pass 40 yards. Stanzi also threw pick-6s against Michigan, Arizona and Arkansas State.
Tarrant has scored four non-offensive touchdowns this year. He’s scored on a fumble recovery, interception and two punt returns.
CHATTER
Gazette Communications had several hundred people participate in its live chat during the Orange Bowl. Here’s a sample of comments:
“Now it’s chips and salsa time. This is really huge for the program.”s
“Top 10 for sure, who would have thought that four months ago! Kudos on a great season!
“Iowa was up against a stellar offense and shut them down. More than enough credit deserves to go to Iowa’s d-line and Norm Parker.”
“Same record as 2003 orange bowl team — 11-2 — but much better feeling.”
Iowa FedEx Orange Bowl Post-game Notes
Iowa defeated Georgia Tech, 24-14 in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. Iowa has appeared in bowls in eight of last nine seasons, including six January bowl games and two BSC bowl appearances.
Iowa is now 1-1 in the Orange Bowl. The Hawkeyes lost to Southern Cal, 38-17 in 2003 Orange Bowl.
Tuesday’s game was the first meeting ever with Georgia Tech. Iowa was 0-7 previously against ACC.
Iowa finishes the season with an 11-2 overall record and a 6-2 league mark. The Hawkeyes posted double-figure wins for the fourth time under Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, including the third time in regular season. Additionally, Iowa has posted six league wins for third time under Ferentz.
The Big Ten went 4-3 in bowl games, including wins in the Rose Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl and FedEx Orange Bowl.
Tonight was the final game for 17 Hawkeye seniors (Pat Angerer, Kyle Calloway, Joe Conklin, Dan Doering, AJ Edds, Rafael Eubanks, Chad Geary, Bryce Griswold, Taylor Herbst, Andy Kuempel, Travis Meade, Tony Moeaki, Jayme Murphy, Dace Richardson, Chris Rowell, Kyle Spading and Trey Stross).
Temperature at game time was 49 degrees, the coldest Orange Bowl ever. The previous low at game time was 57 degrees. Iowa also played in the coldest Gator Bowl (1983) in Jacksonville, FL, where the wind chill was minus 13 degrees. Iowa played five previous games in 2009 with a temperature of 50 degrees or less at game time, with the coldest being the home game vs. Michigan (33 degrees, also a night game). Iowa was 5-0 this season when the temperature was below 50 degrees at game time and 5-2 when the temperature was above 50 degrees. In additional to Michigan, other games that were 50 degree or less for Iowa this season were Arkansas State (50), Wisconsin (40), Michigan State (43) and Minnesota (45).
Georgia Tech won the toss and deferred. Iowa has started on offense in 113 of its last 130 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 115-of-136 games under Ferentz. Iowa games vs. Ohio State (11/14/07), Indiana (10/31/09), Purdue (11/15/08), Penn State (11/08/08), Wisconsin (10/10/08), Minnesota (11/10/07), at Northwestern (11/3/07), vs. Michigan State (10/27/07), at Penn State (10/6/07), vs. Iowa State (9/16/06), vs. Minnesota (11/19/05), vs. Michigan (10/22/05), at Purdue (10/8/05), at Minnesota (11/13/04), vs. Purdue (11/6/04), at Miami, OH (9/7/02) and at Michigan State (9/27/03) are the only contests that the Hawkeyes didn’t start on offense. Iowa won 13 of the 17 games.
Iowa has scored the first 14 points of the game in its last three bowl games. Iowa led Texas 14-0 in the first period of the 2006 Alamo Bowl before falling to the Longhorns, 26-24. Iowa scored 31 straight points in a 31-10 win over South Carolina in the 2009 Outback Bowl.
Iowa did not score on its first possession, losing a fumble after a pass completion. Iowa scored on its initial drive in four games. Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive vs. Arizona and Arkansas State, and a field goal on its opening drive vs. Northern Iowa. Iowa did not score on its opening drives at Iowa State, at Penn State, vs. Michigan, at Wisconsin, at Michigan State, vs. Indiana, at Ohio State and vs. Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech did not score on its opening possession. Iowa allowed just two opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four) to score on their opening drive in its last 26 games.
Iowa has scored the first points in eight of 13 games. The opponent scored first in the first four road games before Iowa opened the scoring at Ohio State with a field goal. Iowa State, Wisconsin and Michigan State opened with a field goal and Penn State opened with a touchdown. Iowa scored 35 straight points at Iowa State, 21 at Penn State and 20 at Wisconsin.
DE Adrian Clayborn had eight solo tackles in the first half, which matches a career-best (at Ohio State, 2009). He ended the game with nine tackles. His career high of 12 tackles came at Ohio State earlier this season. He also had two QB sacks in the first half, which matches his career best (at Michigan State, 2009). Clayborn was named the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl Most Outstanding Player.
WR Marvin McNutt had his eighth touchdown reception of the season in the first period. McNutt is tied for fourth in TD receptions in a single season. He trails Maurice Brown (11 in 2002), Quinn Early (10 in 1987) and Tim Dwight (9 in 1995) and is tied with Bill Happel (1985), Kahlil Hill (2001), Danan Hughes (1991) and Dwight (1997).
Junior QB Ricky Stanzi returned to the starting line-up for the first time since the 10th game of the season vs. Northwestern. He was injured in the first half of that game and did not play in Iowa’s final two games. Junior LB Jeremiha Hunter also returned to the starting line-up after missing the final game of the regular season. Hunter’s return to the line-up marked the only change in Iowa’s starting defense.
Stanzi, with two touchdown passes in the first period, now has 17 TD passes this season and 31 in his career. He is tied for ninth in season scoring passes and ranks sixth in career touchdown passes. In the game he completed 17-29 passes for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns. His season total of 2,417 yards ranks 10th best for a single season and his career total of 4,373 ranks sixth.
Additionally, Kyle Calloway started at right guard after starting 11 straight games at right tackle. Julian Vandervelde started at left guard after starting eight games at right guard. Riley Reiff started at right tackle after starting three games at left tackle and the final seven games of the regular season at left guard. Also, Dace Richardson returned to action after missing the last four games due to injury.
Iowa was 2-3 in the red zone against Georgia Tech, collecting a passing touchdown in the first quarter and a field goal in the third period. Iowa failed to convert a fake field goal in the fourth period. Iowa has scored on 63 of the last 69 red zone possessions (39 TDs and 24 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 44-50 combined inside the red zone its last 16 games.
Georgia Tech was 1-1 in the red zone with a rushing touchdown in the fourth period. Iowa opponents are 24-29 in the red zone this season, with 10 FGs and 14 touchdowns.
Iowa did not score following an interception in the fourth quarter. Iowa has collected at least one turnover in 11-of-13 games this season, with no turnovers vs. Michigan State and Ohio State. The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 44 of its last 48 games, dating back to 2006. Iowa has scored 87 points (11 TDs, four FGs) following 31 opponent turnovers (21 interceptions, nine fumbles, one blocked punt).
Georgia Tech did not score following a first period fumble, but returned an interception for a touchdown later in the period. Iowa opponents have scored 61 points following 28 Iowa turnovers (20 interceptions, eight fumbles). Georgia Tech, Michigan, Arkansas State and Arizona returned interceptions for touchdowns and Northern Iowa scored field goals following two Iowa fumbles. Penn State scored three points following an interception. Indiana scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble on an Iowa punt return and added a field goal following a third period interception. Northwestern recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown and OSU scored a rushing touchdown after a fourth period interception.
Senior OLB A.J. Edds had his fifth interception of the season in the fourth period. Edds finished his career with seven interceptions.
Instant replay was used in the second period. An Iowa pass was ruled complete. The call on the field was overturned and changed to an incompletion.
Adam Robinson finished with 14 carries for 59 yards. Robinson led Iowa’s rushing attack for the season with 834 yards. His yardage is the most ever for an Iowa freshman. The previous mark of 679 yards was held by Ladell Betts (1998).
Iowa freshman RB Brandon Wegher scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season in the fourth period. The eight touchdowns is a new Iowa record for a freshman. The previous record was seven, set last season by Jewel Hampton.
Iowa set two team bowl records on defense. The Hawkeyes allowed just 155 yards, which was the lowest total in Iowa bowl history. The previous mark was 206 yards against Texas Tech in the 1996 Alamo Bowl. Also, Iowa allowed just 12 passing yards in the Orange Bowl, an Iowa bowl record for fewest passing yards. The previous mark of 92 came against Florida in the 1983 Gator Bowl. Both of those numbers were also season bests for the Hawkeye defense.
Georgia Tech’s pass completions (2), pass attempts (9) and passing yards (12) are the lowest numbers allowed during the Ferentz era.
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