Facing the Hawkeyes
It may not have the glitz of the battle of the unbeatens in the Fiesta, but the Orange Bowl will be a great matchup of offense vs. defense: Tech’s o’s vs. Iowa’s x’s. Or is it the other way around?
Either way, it should be fun to watch.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said that he couldn’t remember the last time he faced a team that uses this much option, and that trying to simulate it in practice will be quite a challenge.
The Hawkeyes’ offense isn’t flashy, but with a defense as stout as Iowa’s is, they don’t have to be. A couple of scores here and there is all they need. It’s kind of like Tech’s defense. It doesn’t have to stop everyone all the time, just a couple a game seem to work fine.
Anyway, it’s beena long day so I’ll open it up to your thoughts about the matchup.
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549 comments Add your comment
BuLLdawg
December 7th, 2009
11:17 pm
Hey idiot,
I guess it bothers you that Georgia Tech PLAYED SIX (6) TEAMS who are NOT EVEN IN A BOWL GAME ?
Supersize that order, mutt
December 7th, 2009
11:21 pm
buttsniffer, did you check that link on SOS? Are you dyslexic or just dumb? Oh, in case you are too stupid to know what dyslexic means, that’s when you (among other things) transpose characters while reading. Is that why you continue to say that Tech’s SOS is 51 when it is, in fact, 15? Or, like I said, are you just plain dumb? Since you are a mutt, then I would assume you are just plain dumb.
BuLLLDawg
December 8th, 2009
12:23 am
I’ve got no job no life so I will fume my bitterness here
BuLLLDawg
December 8th, 2009
12:25 am
I forgot to take the medications my mama told me to get. Mama told me life is like a box of chocolates….
The Truth
December 8th, 2009
1:51 am
Hey dawg nation…let’s start the pep rally now…
C’mon, say it with me…
shreveport! Shreveport! SHreveport! SHReveport! SHREveport! SHREVeport! SHREVEport! SHREVEPort! SHREVEPOrt! SHREVEPORt! SHREVEPORT!…Hell yeah, it’s SHREVEPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Truth
December 8th, 2009
1:55 am
Heard from a dawg fan…
“All I want for Christmas is some front teeth )more than 2 please) and a quarter and a half without Josh Nesbit. Thank you sweet, precious, baby Jesus.”
BS Patrol
December 8th, 2009
2:07 am
Like I told that stupid Dig On It.
Dig a hole & put that stupid mutt in it & be done with it. Down here we don’t make a fuss over the livestock. We use a .22. They should not be allowed to breed these dogs anyway. Too many health issues. I mean look at him. Laying on two bags of ice. I could write a column. It’s simply evil & perverse. PETA is right on this one.
BS Patrol
December 8th, 2009
3:36 am
Derrick,
Read some of my other posts. Nobody is celebrating. It’s evil & perverse to breed these dogs. PETA is right. Here we just use a .22.
BuLLdawg
December 8th, 2009
4:52 am
Look, Tech only beat 1 team in the BCS Top 25.
Tech played 6 opponents who do not even go to a bowl game.
Your campus is in the slums where the crime is, and the guns, and the drugs.
Tech’s SoS is Number 51 by The NCAA itself.
Iowa is a horrible opponent for any conference CHUMPionship game winner to have to play.
The game is in Miami, where the crime approximates that of Tech’s own campus. It is a The BCS Game which always has the dead last worst rating, and this match-up with Iowa is a horrible match-up with Iowa, who lost to Northwestern for God’s sake with their SoS Number 112 in the nation. Iowa is a horrible football team, whose only strength is stopping the pass, which is what Georgia Tech did to lose to UGA.
Hawkeye1
December 8th, 2009
6:44 am
After watching UGA maul GT’s defense and manhandle that Triple Option with a very bad defense I kinda like our chances. UGA held the TO to a little over 200 yds, Nesbitt to 41 yds, Dwyer to 33 yds, and if not for poor tackling on the Thomas pass reception TD it would have been an even more dominate performance by UGA. Yes I like our chances. Especially with a month to prepare.
A Rob
December 8th, 2009
8:07 am
Hawkeye1,
You may like your chances based on the UGA game, but remember, they are our bitter rival, as you can obviously see from vicious back and forth between the bloggers. I hope you guys think you can single cover and tackle Thomas just like UGA did. He’ll make the secondary pay dearly. It happens to everybody we play.
Something tells me Johnson will figure out the best way to attack your defense. Time will tell.
Gt4ever
December 8th, 2009
8:35 am
BullDawg,,, Man, just get some HELP! If you can’t say anything worthwhile or positive, then STFU!
Milton
December 8th, 2009
8:35 am
BuLLdawg sure spends a lot of time and effort bashing Tech. You have to wander why someone could be so obsessed with another school. Most UGA graduates are not that obsessed and understand sports for what they are, a great way toa llow young people to compete and a good way to get your school publicity. BuLLdawg likely never went to college, is jealous of those who did and is trying to identify with a group. It is really just very sad. Good luck to UGA and Tech in the upcoming bowl season.
Milton
December 8th, 2009
8:36 am
I mispelled wonder above. Guess we’ll have to make an issue out of that. Oh well….
Gt4ever
December 8th, 2009
8:40 am
No Milton, your spelling is GOOD! I grew up in public schools as well!
The Hitman
December 8th, 2009
8:42 am
We are going to be the least watched Bcs game in the history of college football!!!!!!! Why GTech?????!!!!!! I know they are a good team but damn this is a boring game!!!!!!!! GTech!?!??????????!!!!!!!!! I’m a HUGE Iowa fan and even this game seems boring to me!!!! I’ll still watch every last second of the game but damn, GTech?????????????!!!!!!!!!
Gt4ever
December 8th, 2009
8:51 am
Hitman, your kidding right! The question should be WHY Iowa! A team that has been OVERRATED ALL YEAR. A team who plays in the WORST conference in the COUNTRY!
The Other St. Simons
December 8th, 2009
8:53 am
Iowa and Tech are overrated and in horrible conferences….should be great matchup!!!
Final Score: 30-24 Tech
BuzztheKiller
December 8th, 2009
8:58 am
GeorgiaHawkeye- go back and read my post before you call anyone a “retard”. I never said you lived in Des Moise, I assumed you were polluting Atlanta like so many others who love to crap on our city, yet for some strange reason want to live here rather than those lovely places you claim to love like Iowa. My post actually meant “Why don’t you move back if you love it so much and get off our roads!”. And I could care less what city the Univ of Iowa is in. They are a low to mid level team in the “Big” Ten that is having their once in a decade good year. You lost to a weak as usual Ohio St.team that will get blown out by the Ducks. You are big and slow and will be looking at the back of Tech’s jerseys all day long. If you thought Tyrelle Pryor was fast- we have about 6 guys that fast or faster, and 3-4 are them are on the field at the same time. Like I asked you earlier and you never answered (amazing how you ignored the football related stuff and just chose to insult on another team’s blog)- CAN IOWA SCORE OVER 40 POINTS? They did it once this year, against Indiana (they actually have a football team?) and they almost beat you, and should have.
A Rob
December 8th, 2009
9:00 am
Hitman,
Watch every last second of the game……you won’t be bored. just upset
BuzztheKiller
December 8th, 2009
9:00 am
You are dismissed from the Tech blog! Thanks for playing.
The Truth
December 8th, 2009
9:03 am
Hawkeye1, make sure you adjust your thinking to allow for four quarters of Nesbit rather than the two and a half quarters uga was given. I like your thinking…the Hawkeyes will have to learn the same lesson about the TO that 20 other teams (including uga) have had to learn…it’s fun to cover – just ask Clemson – they’ve had three chances. Please bring your full first team squad to the field. We want your best shot – no excuses.
Otis
December 8th, 2009
9:18 am
BullDawg,
I got my resreevations at the Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne for the Orange Bowl. Understand there is a good Motel 6 in Shreveport:
http://www.motel6.com/reservations/motel_detail.aspx?num=2005&NOA=&aYr=&aMo=&aDa=&dYr=&dMo=&dDa=&CP=&TA=
The Truth
December 8th, 2009
9:25 am
5 losses = SHREVEPORT…Enjoy the magic of the city.
Milton
December 8th, 2009
9:26 am
Hitman, actually Tech is one of the most exciting and talked about teams in college football for the past two years. Paul Johnson’s offense can score at any moment and this has captivated a lot of attention. Iowa is a good team that got hurt by key injuries. This will be a great game to watch. Frankly, I don’t care what others may think; most Tech people are excited and that’s really all we care about. I think you will be very surprised.
cliff
December 8th, 2009
9:31 am
GT4ever – you are incorrect. Tech, not Iowa, resides in the worst conference in the country. Evidenced by your pathetic “championship.”
BuzztheKiller
December 8th, 2009
11:37 am
Hey Cliff- I will take “pathetic” championships every year my man. And the pathetic $14.5 million in BCS payout that comes with it…remind me what the payout is for the Shreveport Bowl? Two passes to the buffet at Shoney’s, the finest dining in Shreveport….
BuzztheKiller
December 8th, 2009
11:39 am
SI obviously thought Tech’s offense was interesting enough to dedicate a whole article in last week’s issue…meanwhile UGA got another mention on the Athens police blotter…
Bradley
December 8th, 2009
12:54 pm
30-24
Senor Willie Martinez
December 8th, 2009
12:56 pm
I pulled Paul Johnson’s pants down this year at Historic Mark Richt Field.
BuzztheKiller
December 8th, 2009
12:59 pm
Senor- keep your man fantasies to your own blog…this one is dedicated to serious College football talk involving championships, BCS, such things that does not concern you Athens “men”. You are dismissed.
Senor Willie Martinez
December 8th, 2009
1:09 pm
I didn’t do it with any sexual overtures. I just wanted his pathetic fanbase to see what they’d been worshipping these past two glorious years. Isn’t it funny how I just got fired…but I still managed to shut down Paul the genius Johnson? Oh, if only UGA were in the ACC. I would have reached hero-worship status by now.
Coach Pepper Rodgers
December 8th, 2009
1:10 pm
Is it just me…or does Corch Johnson resemble an unflushed toilet?
ha
December 8th, 2009
6:02 pm
GeorgiaHawkeye- go back and read my post before you call anyone a “retard”. I never said you lived in Des Moise, I assumed you were polluting Atlanta like so many others who love to crap on our city, yet for some strange reason want to live here rather than those lovely places you claim to love like Iowa. My post actually meant “Why don’t you move back if you love it so much and get off our roads!”. And I could care less what city the Univ of Iowa is in. They are a low to mid level team in the “Big” Ten that is having their once in a decade good year. You lost to a weak as usual Ohio St.team that will get blown out by the Ducks. You are big and slow and will be looking at the back of Tech’s jerseys all day long. If you thought Tyrelle Pryor was fast- we have about 6 guys that fast or faster, and 3-4 are them are on the field at the same time. Like I asked you earlier and you never answered (amazing how you ignored the football related stuff and just chose to insult on another team’s blog)- CAN IOWA SCORE OVER 40 POINTS? They did it once this year, against Indiana (they actually have a football team?) and they almost beat you, and should have.
________________________________
Once a decade good season… HAHA
Three top ten finishes this decade. Wins in three new years day bowls this decade. Will have played in 6 new years day bowls this decade. Victories over LSU, Florida, South Carolina in bowls this decade. Yeah, the hawkeyes haven’t seen speed before, that’s what we hear every year in the bowls and every year it is proved wrong. Already had to hear it this year from Arizona. Be ignorant, I don’t care.
GaTekDropout
December 8th, 2009
7:29 pm
Bullfrawg, I constantly see you posting about how Tech is in the slums, I was there in the mid eighties when good ole techwood homes was just across the street. Id say the area has come a lonnnnnnnng way in being more of a campus I would want to be a part of. What? U think athens is nice or something?????????????????
Dave from GT
December 8th, 2009
10:59 pm
Hawks on the Blog….. already. Please don’t emulate that other so called university in GA. You are too classy to become nadlickers.
Remember Harry Kokolus !
I am really looking forward to the O Bowl. I (a GT alum) have followed the Hawks thru the Big 10 and it will be real interesting to see how they stack up outside the conference.
Win or lose, given the weather up there, you are sure to have a good time in Miami.
Contratulations on a great season so far, let’s go have a great time and great game in Miami – and have a beer on the beach afterward.
Gawd Dawg, this beats Shreveport in anyone’s book !
The Real Truth
December 9th, 2009
10:21 am
Does anyone really believe there’s absolutely no coincidence at all that the one year the ACC has half it’s conference at .500 or worse that Tech FINALLY wins it? LOL, I think not…….
BuzztheKiller
December 9th, 2009
12:04 pm
ha ha- that is part of my point- no one even knows what Iowa has done or has not done outside the state and outside the Little Ten! Have you even won the Little Ten championship this decade? Oh, thats right, they don’t have a real one because they are scared to play an additional game like the other BCS conferences. Goes for the Pathetic Ten also. Whatever, talk your smack. We shall see on Jan 5. And once again, I can’t get any of the 2 or 3 (probably same guy hiding behind different names) Iowa fans on here to answer: CAN IOWA SCORE OVER 40 POINTS? If not, Adios Hawks! Once again- you are dismissed from the Tech blog.
poor buzz
December 9th, 2009
1:00 pm
Problem is, Iowa hasn’t faced a defense as pathetic as Yech’s. They’ll have a field day on offense while all their slow white boys run silly on that JV defense Johnson throws out there
Alabama Jack
December 9th, 2009
2:07 pm
To any trolling Hakweyes – we respect you and look forward to a tough exciting game. Keep in mind our 60 yards and a cloud of dust offense gets people jumping up a lot during the game, while our defense can sometimes cause you to slump down under the seat. But, hey that’s why they play the game. I don’t think this is gonna be a runaway for either team but should prove far more entertaining than a lot of people may expect.
Glad you’re getting your QB back – he is a talent and a lot of fun to watch. Come on down and enjoy.
So win or lose -
RESPECT ALL, FEAR NONE
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA, who is irrelevant anyway.
Bama Hawkeye
December 9th, 2009
3:06 pm
If Georgia is irrelevant, then why do they always beat you? Just curious
A Rob
December 9th, 2009
7:07 pm
True, they have owned us lately. Before 2008, they ran up a nice streak (7 games straight) due primarily to the most inept coach and AD to ever step foot on the Georgia Tech campus. That administration singlehandedly almost ruined GT football as we once knew it. Thankfully, both are gone forever. We now have had 2 close games and are 1-1 against Ga with the new regime in place. Looks like the rivalry is back, and the Dawgs are always relevant to us and vice-versa. They just happened to have one of their worst seasons in quite some time, I think that is where AJack’s comment came from.
Anyway, we look forward to the Bowl game and a good battle with Iowa!
tool nation
December 10th, 2009
9:21 am
If you believe the tool fans the way they tell it, Chan Gailey never got within five scores of UGA. Truth of the matter is, Gailey had several games where he lost to UGA by only 6, 7 and 3 points. It doesn’t matter who Yech’s coach is, they will always be UGA’s toilet paper and they know it
Jeckyll Island
December 10th, 2009
10:58 am
30-24!!!! 8 out of 9!!!!!
Georgia Tech and Iowa are the two most overranked teams in college football!
J in IA
December 10th, 2009
7:27 pm
First off, much respect to GT. You guys are a good team and I’m expecting a good bowl game. Sadly I don’t know as much about your team’s strengths and weaknesses as I would like, but I know you have a running game to be feared and plenty of weapons on offense to respect.
A couple points on Iowa though.
1) A comment was made earlier in the blog as to the effect of “Don’t expect Iowa to make many solo tackles like UGA did against us, our guys can’t be stopped.” In actuality, Iowa is one of the best tackling teams in the nation. They are all about keeping the opponent in front of them, limiting mistakes, and making good tackles to limit yards after catch and yards after first contact. So yes, I fully expect Iowa to make solo tackles when necessary, that’s what exceptional defenses do, and Iowa is an exceptional defense.
2) Stanzi, heaven knows, has given us Iowa fans fits with his early mistakes in games. At one point I thought he was going to set an NCAA record with most consecutive games with an interception returned for a touchdown. But, like many of the great gunslinger QBs in CFB, for better or worse he doesn’t let it phase him and he keeps making throws. In his worst game of the year against Indiana, he threw 4 picks in the span of about 20 minutes of game play. Most QBs would give up or become hesitant at that. Instead, iowa scored 28 points in the 4th quarter to win, lead by Stanzi’s passing. He’s lead more 4th quarter comebacks than anyone in the country this year, and he hasn’t lost a game that he’s started since last year’s upset of penn state.
3) Building on that, Stanzi & Iowa were in the top 10 in the nation in long distance pass plays before he went down. They can and will open it up very quickly on defenses when they find a crease. Its something that has to be respected and planned against, which has kept their offense alive all season long.
4) Robinson, Iowa’s freshman running back, has set Iowa freshman rushing records while sitting out or missing significant playing time in 4 games this season. He’s a tough back with good vision, speed, and power, running behind an excellent offensive line. To say Iowa can’t run the ball, as someone mentioned earlier, is just silly.
5) Iowa’s special teams is amazing. Their blocked punt in the Penn State game turned it, and lest anyone forget they blocked 2 consecutive field goals to stay alive in their opening game of the season. (and in response, yes, that was against an FCS team, yes, iowa has played down to competition this year, but they’ve played up, too. )
6) Finally, Iowa adjusts amazingly well during a game, especially after halftime. Penn State scored on a quick strike on their first drive of the game vs Iowa and then didn’t sniff the end zone for the rest of the game. Wisconsin lead 10-0 at halftime and didn’t score a point the rest of the game. Indiana and Northwestern both held to only a field goal in the second half. I think a close game favors the hawkeyes because of their great ability to adjust.
I know that GT fans can give me a bunch of good reasons yall will win this game as well, which is why I expect a good, hard fought game. I’m just trying to clear up any misconceptions that this game will be a cakewalk against a “Big, dumb, slow, weak” B10 team.
Good luck to yall.
BUZZMAN
December 15th, 2009
9:02 am
I feel our offense will do good against Iowa, but where we are going to have problems is our defense. We must stop them or we will lose. Also Paul will have to come up with a few different plays on offense to throw Iowa off. They have 1 month to prepare for the option and this could hurt us. It will be a close game but TECH will prevail.
HawkeyeForever
December 15th, 2009
3:09 pm
A Rob,
Iowa runs mostly zone coverages, but thanks for playing. Do all GT fans talk out their bum without doing any research? Oh, and while your players are shredding through Iowa’s defensive backfield, did you forget that your QB (that has moderate passing skills at best) still has to throw the ball to them? That’s when the Hawks have a field day with the turnovers.
panama city beach mike
December 17th, 2009
5:14 pm
fergie, confused? Tech only claims National Titles they have won and can back up with proof. Tech has 4, Georgia has 1.
4 is more than 1.
SoaringHawk
December 21st, 2009
2:35 pm
It’s kinda funny when the players are shaking hands and the fans are beating each other up. As fans, our loyalty will get to our emotions. But give credit to both teams. They worked so hard to get to the BCS. As a Hawkeye fan, I prefer to see the Hawkeyes win, but when I think of it another way, maybe even a lost can still ease my pain. The players on both teams will go 100% for their own pride, dedication, and the determination to reach the next level(NFL). Take nothing away from them because win or lose, I am sure they will play their heart out. As a fan’s perspective, I get pissed if the Hawkeyes lose but for the Players’ point of view…I will congrat and credit the ones who prevail. Why because they’re all young athletes mostly from 18-23. They put everything on the table. They sacrafice their bodies for Scholarhips, pride, and a better future.
With this being said. Good Luck to the GT fans and players. Don’t care how we play or what we’re good at. Whether Defense of Offense, no one will know for sure how the game will be play and the outcome of the game.
It will be an interesting game to watch. And GT fans, just us…we have fans everywhere. There will be millions of fans watching this game on TV and attending he game.