Bulaga, Hawkeyes wreck Georgia Tech
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On the first play of Tuesday night's Orange Bowl, Marian Central graduate Bryan Bulaga fired off the line of scrimmage and used his massive arms to deliver a pancake block against Georgia Tech defensive end Anthony Egbuniwe.
The play was a sign of things to come for Bulaga, the starting left offensive tackle for 10th-ranked Iowa, and the Hawkeyes.
Thanks to a powerful running game and a stout defense that shut down No. 9 Georgia Tech's dangerous triple-option offense, Bulaga and the Hawkeyes enjoyed a 24-14 win for its second bowl victory in as many seasons.
"We haven't had many routine wins," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told Fox-TV after the game. "This is a great night. We're just thrilled."
After jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, Iowa endured some tense moments in the fourth quarter before putting the game away.
On several crucial plays late, Iowa ran behind Bulaga as freshman running back Brandon Wegher had a big night with 113 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi, in his return to the lineup after suffering a leg injury against Northwestern, threw for two touchdowns and 231 yards.
Here are some key moments from the game involving Bulaga and the Hawkeyes:
FIRST QUARTER
* Bulaga, on Iowa's first play of the game, drives through Egbuniwe, a 6-foot-4, 255-pounder, and slams the Georgia Tech defensive end to the ground.
* Two plays later, Bulaga -- the Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year -- matches up with Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He holds off Morgan as Stanzi completes a pass to Marvin McNutt, who fumbles the ball away.
* While Tech continues flipping Morgan and Egbuniwe to match up with Bulaga, Stanzi delivers a TD pass to McNutt with 8:10 left in the quarter.
* On Iowa's next series, Bulaga delivers a key block to spring running back Adam Robinson for a 15-yard gain.
* Two plays later, with 4:11 to go, Stanzi delivers a 21-yard TD pass for a 14-0 lead.
* With just under a minute remaining, Georgia Tech closes the gap to 14-7 as defensive back Jerrard Tarrant returns an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.
SECOND QUARTER
* With Tech's defensive ends failing to get to the quarterback as of yet, the Yellow Jackets blitz weakside linebacker Steven Sylvester, who sacks Stanzi early in the quarter.
* On a third-down play later in the quarter, Bulaga has a standoff with Morgan as Stanzi is flushed from the pocket. Fox game analyst Charles Davis, during a replay, calls Bulaga "Iowa's best pass protector" but also adds that Bulaga could have been called for holding on the play.
* With 1:19 before halftime, Bulaga pounds Egwunibe to the turf again on a running play.
* During the first half, Tech has sent Morgan, Egwunibe, backup defensive end Osahon Tongo (a Naperville North product) and defensive tackle Logan Walls at Bulaga. Iowa leads 14-7 at the half.
THIRD QUARTER
* With just under 7 minutes to go, Bulaga is flagged for holding while blocking Egwunibe on a running play.
* On the very next play, Bulaga has a stalemate with Morgan and Stanzi throws a 23-yard pass to tight end Tony Moeaki on a second down and 19.
* Two plays later, Bulaga and Moeaki create a first-down gain for running back Adam Robinson on a run play to the left.
* Bulaga's work is not going unnoticed by the Fox broadcast team. With 3:33 left in the quarter, Fox cameras show Bulaga and put a graphic of his honors the past two seasons on the screen. "He's one of the better ones they've had," play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton says, referring to Iowa's history of top offensive linemen. "And they've had some good ones," says Davis, the game analyst.
* Iowa's drive stalls, leading to a field goal and a 17-7 Iowa lead.
FOURTH QUARTER
* Tech rolls downfield to close the gap to 17-14 with a 71-yard scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard scoring run with 12:30 remaining
* With just over 10 minutes left, Iowa again plows over the left side of the line with its punishing running game as Wegher gains 19 yards.
* Sylvester collects his second sack of the game, stopping Stanzi with 9:43 to go.
* A failed fake field goal halts an Iowa drive with 6:46 left in the game and keeps the score at 17-14.
* While trying to put the game away, Iowa gets strong protection from its front line as Stanzi completes a 9-yard pass on third and eight to Trey Stross with 3:13 to go.
* At the 2:35 mark, Wegher rushes behind Bulaga for a 23-yard gain for a first down to the Georgia Tech 29-yard line. Iowa radio commentator Gary Dolphin calls Bulaga's effort on the play "a huge seal block."
* Running behind Bulaga once again, Wegher blazes 32 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 1:56 to go. The score puts Iowa up 24-14 and finishes an eight-play, 63-yard drive.
* A Tech incompletion with 1:17 to go on fourth down locks up the win for Iowa, which finishes 11-2.
Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.
