Orange Bowl
Georgia Tech (-4) vs. Iowa
8:00 pm ET

This game is entirely about just one thing – Iowa’s ability to adjust. Georgia Tech’s offense is truly bizarre. They have never thrown more than 17 passes in a game all year (often fewer), and they run absolutely relentlessly. They don’t just run it up the middle either – they have a million different looks they can throw at a team, and they can do a hundred different things from every formation. Iowa has never seen anything like this because there isn’t much like this, and certainly nothing in the Big Ten. There is lots of running in the Big Ten, but it is far less creative and unique than what Iowa will see here. If the Hawkeyes can handle the offense then they can make this one very interesting. If they can’t, though, then this one will get ugly. The biggest problem that Iowa has is that their offense is lousy, so they aren’t likely going to be able to compete if this one turns into a shootout.

Coaching here is another interesting equation. Kirk Ferentz is a good coach with a history of success, though I think that he is quite significantly overrated. Paul Johnson has done absolute wonders in just two years at Georgia Tech, and has even brighter things ahead. Both teams will be well prepared, but my hunch is that the game means more for Johnson than for Ferentz , and that that could give the Yellow Jackets a bit of an edge here. That being said, if I was an Iowa backer I would be thrilled by this line, especially because it opened at 2.5 and moved up through the key number of three. That’s a very nice movement if you like the Hawkeyes.