IOWA VS GEORGIA TECH
If opposites attract like last night Boise/Tcu game, then this game featuring two witty but solid coaches will keep you interested....Both Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson were finalists for this season's Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award ... one runs the triple option offense while the other plays a stout hard-nosed defense.....
I considered making this Fed-Ex Orange Bowl my Game of the Year before finally choosing Penn St over Lsu... Yet with the way the Bowls have been playing and how I handicap them, I find this game still just as good... I will admit that I have had some concern and some reasonable doubt playing in my mind over the last few days.... especially when fellow handicappers from my area are mostly leaning the other way, not to mention a few others that I have come to respect here putting a GOY on the opposite team im playing... I just have this feeling, intuition if you may call it; with how things transpired tonight in the boise/tcu game and what I think is going to happen tomorrow...... Yes im going with Geogia Tech on Tuesday and heres all my reasons why....... but first let me explain what I know about Iowa
First of all, many know that I like playing Big-10 games due to their defense-nature past-practice that their conference brings...#10 ranked Iowa is only allowing 15.5 points a game and are #11 in total defense (286.7)... they also bring a tough pass defense (167.4) that has made 20 interceptions, while creating 29 turnovers... Iowa's hard-hitting defense is led by All-American Pat Angerer, the fifth-leading tackler in the FBS with 135. Safety Tyler Sash has six interceptions and he's the Hawkeyes' second leading tackler with 84.... The Run defense is where they will have to succeed as they are #32 giving up 122 yards at 3.49 per a carry.....
I know as everybody else does what this Iowa offense was about early in the season... I also know they went thru some serious changes thruout the season with the losses of their starting running back, the offensive line playing in different positions, and their starting qb for the last 2.5 games of the season... Sure they have overcome a lot of adversity to get basically everyone healthy and ready to play with the extra rest... but I can count many of times where that doesnt matter....With everyone back to game level, complimented with its defense, its no brainer why everyone in my circle is on the hawkeyes...you can even throw a bone for them considering what the Big-10 has already done this season in the bowls...They have played all BCS teams, beating Pac-10 champ Oregon, the #2 ACC team and going 1-1 against the SEC.... Many have told me that Iowa really needs this game for its program... everyone knows that BCS games feature the Penn and Ohio States to Michigan from the Big-10.... and Coach Ferentz learned with his loss in 2002....Unless you’re from Austin, Gainesville, or SoCal…wins in BCS bowls are few and far between, and that’s why it’s a really a big deal for Iowa fans..... or is it ?????
If this game means so much to Iowa, then it must mean twice as much for Georgia Tech...This is Georgia Tech's first BCS bowl game, and a lot is riding on them as this will be the conference tie breaker with the Big-10, whom both are at 3-3 this bowl season....the Big-10 has played in and won way more BCS bowl games over the years including this Years Rose Bowl, not to mention that Wisky already handled Miami... Both teams know that the BIG games earn the respect in college football and this is why I feel the ACC needs this game a little more..
#9 Ranked Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets will bring the # 2 rushing offense (307.2 rushing yards per game 5.2 pc)... We all seen what the #1 rushing offense (nevada) did in Hawaii.... I admit I was on the wrong side then... but that was with the pistol offense and imo I think they threw that game.... Believe it or not, besides Nevada the top tier run oriented teams in this bowl season have won as dogs ( air force / navy )...the next tier of run first team (kent/n.ill/ore) all have lost.... so where do I see this tech team.... Well the Atlantic Coast Conference champions feature an explosive triple-option offense and are scoring 35.3 points per game... I wiil give a pass to thier 2 losses... one to the miami hurricanes who got out to a 21-3 lead early in the 3Q which took them out of their game plan...the other loss was to interstate foe georgia..... The name of this game is all about Ball control , where they average 34:28 seconds per a game... which is the highest Iowa has seen all season....
Not one of those 2nd tier teams came close to that number, in fact clemson (whom beat kentucky) has lost twice to this GT team..... Oregon lost to the #4 rushing defense ... and N.Illinois was almost 5 minutes under their average per a game....
so much talk about the front 7 of Iowa which ranks 32nd against the run...Coach Paul Johnson said the Hawkeyes most closely resemble Clemson's and North Carolina's defenses. It should be noted the Jackets averaged 431 yards in the three games against those two teams not to mention beaten the #9 run defense (north carolina) , while beating comparable teams close to Iowas average of 122 ypg ~ virginia tech (138ypg) miss st.(146ypg)... grant it most were close games, the bottom line is the "W"...... yes I think they will control and run against this iowa team as all the "top" run teams have so this bowl season.... and they will beat them quite handily..... sure we will see some defense from the Iowa, but i dont believe for one second that their Qb will be the same as he was in the beginning of the season..... and when your conservative offense commits a whopping 26 turnovers, a mistake here or there could ruin you against a very disciplined team in giving up the ball in GT...throw in the fact that the Hawkeyes are 0-7 all-time vs. current teams from the ACC....
someone has got to be right for tuesday game..... i just hope i am the one after the over in the boise/tcu fell for me
20****** georgia tech -5
8**** over 50.5
special thanks for those that sent me articles for this write up
26-17 (+24.8 UNITS)
If opposites attract like last night Boise/Tcu game, then this game featuring two witty but solid coaches will keep you interested....Both Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson were finalists for this season's Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award ... one runs the triple option offense while the other plays a stout hard-nosed defense.....
I considered making this Fed-Ex Orange Bowl my Game of the Year before finally choosing Penn St over Lsu... Yet with the way the Bowls have been playing and how I handicap them, I find this game still just as good... I will admit that I have had some concern and some reasonable doubt playing in my mind over the last few days.... especially when fellow handicappers from my area are mostly leaning the other way, not to mention a few others that I have come to respect here putting a GOY on the opposite team im playing... I just have this feeling, intuition if you may call it; with how things transpired tonight in the boise/tcu game and what I think is going to happen tomorrow...... Yes im going with Geogia Tech on Tuesday and heres all my reasons why....... but first let me explain what I know about Iowa
First of all, many know that I like playing Big-10 games due to their defense-nature past-practice that their conference brings...#10 ranked Iowa is only allowing 15.5 points a game and are #11 in total defense (286.7)... they also bring a tough pass defense (167.4) that has made 20 interceptions, while creating 29 turnovers... Iowa's hard-hitting defense is led by All-American Pat Angerer, the fifth-leading tackler in the FBS with 135. Safety Tyler Sash has six interceptions and he's the Hawkeyes' second leading tackler with 84.... The Run defense is where they will have to succeed as they are #32 giving up 122 yards at 3.49 per a carry.....
I know as everybody else does what this Iowa offense was about early in the season... I also know they went thru some serious changes thruout the season with the losses of their starting running back, the offensive line playing in different positions, and their starting qb for the last 2.5 games of the season... Sure they have overcome a lot of adversity to get basically everyone healthy and ready to play with the extra rest... but I can count many of times where that doesnt matter....With everyone back to game level, complimented with its defense, its no brainer why everyone in my circle is on the hawkeyes...you can even throw a bone for them considering what the Big-10 has already done this season in the bowls...They have played all BCS teams, beating Pac-10 champ Oregon, the #2 ACC team and going 1-1 against the SEC.... Many have told me that Iowa really needs this game for its program... everyone knows that BCS games feature the Penn and Ohio States to Michigan from the Big-10.... and Coach Ferentz learned with his loss in 2002....Unless you’re from Austin, Gainesville, or SoCal…wins in BCS bowls are few and far between, and that’s why it’s a really a big deal for Iowa fans..... or is it ?????
If this game means so much to Iowa, then it must mean twice as much for Georgia Tech...This is Georgia Tech's first BCS bowl game, and a lot is riding on them as this will be the conference tie breaker with the Big-10, whom both are at 3-3 this bowl season....the Big-10 has played in and won way more BCS bowl games over the years including this Years Rose Bowl, not to mention that Wisky already handled Miami... Both teams know that the BIG games earn the respect in college football and this is why I feel the ACC needs this game a little more..
#9 Ranked Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets will bring the # 2 rushing offense (307.2 rushing yards per game 5.2 pc)... We all seen what the #1 rushing offense (nevada) did in Hawaii.... I admit I was on the wrong side then... but that was with the pistol offense and imo I think they threw that game.... Believe it or not, besides Nevada the top tier run oriented teams in this bowl season have won as dogs ( air force / navy )...the next tier of run first team (kent/n.ill/ore) all have lost.... so where do I see this tech team.... Well the Atlantic Coast Conference champions feature an explosive triple-option offense and are scoring 35.3 points per game... I wiil give a pass to thier 2 losses... one to the miami hurricanes who got out to a 21-3 lead early in the 3Q which took them out of their game plan...the other loss was to interstate foe georgia..... The name of this game is all about Ball control , where they average 34:28 seconds per a game... which is the highest Iowa has seen all season....
Not one of those 2nd tier teams came close to that number, in fact clemson (whom beat kentucky) has lost twice to this GT team..... Oregon lost to the #4 rushing defense ... and N.Illinois was almost 5 minutes under their average per a game....
so much talk about the front 7 of Iowa which ranks 32nd against the run...Coach Paul Johnson said the Hawkeyes most closely resemble Clemson's and North Carolina's defenses. It should be noted the Jackets averaged 431 yards in the three games against those two teams not to mention beaten the #9 run defense (north carolina) , while beating comparable teams close to Iowas average of 122 ypg ~ virginia tech (138ypg) miss st.(146ypg)... grant it most were close games, the bottom line is the "W"...... yes I think they will control and run against this iowa team as all the "top" run teams have so this bowl season.... and they will beat them quite handily..... sure we will see some defense from the Iowa, but i dont believe for one second that their Qb will be the same as he was in the beginning of the season..... and when your conservative offense commits a whopping 26 turnovers, a mistake here or there could ruin you against a very disciplined team in giving up the ball in GT...throw in the fact that the Hawkeyes are 0-7 all-time vs. current teams from the ACC....
someone has got to be right for tuesday game..... i just hope i am the one after the over in the boise/tcu fell for me
20****** georgia tech -5
8**** over 50.5
special thanks for those that sent me articles for this write up
26-17 (+24.8 UNITS)
