Ricky Stanzi limited his mistakes – and got help from his run game – and the Iowa defense contained the Georgia Tech triple-option as the Hawkeyes beat the Yellow Jackets 24-14 to capture the 2010 Orange Bowl.

Iowa raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on the arm of the quarterback Stanzi, who was starting his first game after missing the later part of the Hawkeye’s regular season.

However, Stanzi’s rust did begin to show, as his lone mistake of the game, an interception, was returned for a touchdown late in the first quarter.

After a scoreless second quarter, Iowa tacked on another field goal in the third to extend their lead to ten.

In the fourth quarter the Yellow Jackets finally put together a scoring drive, as Georgia Tech’s quarterback Josh Nesbitt finally found a grove while running the triple option.

However, after stopping a fake field goal, leaving the Jackets down just 3, Georgia Tech was unable to capitalize, punting the ball and then allowing the Hawkeyes to drive right down the field and score the game-clinching touchdown.

Stanzi finished the game with 230 yards and two touchdowns, while the Hawkeye rushing offense went for a combined 178 yards and a touchdown led by Brandon Wegher.

Nesbitt and the triple option offense were shut down, the Hawkeye offense holding the Jackets to just 155 net yards on the night.

Iowa’s victory was the Big 10′s second in the BCS, helping to mend a broken image of the Big 10 being an inferior conference when it came to the BCS.