Avon Lake's Trey Stross didn't exactly have the game he wanted individually, but as for his team - it was everything they wanted.

Stross caught one pass for nine yards, which helped seal a 24-14 victory Tuesday night and No. 10 Iowa solved Georgia Tech’s explosive triple option and Lake Catholic's Ricky Stanzi threw two early touchdown passes in the coldest Orange Bowl ever.

Temperature at kickoff was 49 degrees, and Tech’s offense was slow to warm up. The ninth-ranked Yellow Jackets averaged 35 points during the regular season, but their only score in the first three quarters came on Jerrard Tarrant’s 40-yard interception return.

The Hawkeyes (11-2) earned their first Bowl Championship Series bowl win, matched the school record for victories and could claim their highest final ranking since finishing No. 3 in 1960.

The Yellow Jackets were first in the nation in time of possession, second in rushing and 11th in scoring at 35 points per game. But they sputtered against an Iowa defense that held four bowl-bound teams to 10 points or less during the regular season.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Avon Lake’s Trey Stross and his 13th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes are off to their best start in 14 years, as they slipped past Arkansas State, 24-21 this afternoon at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa.

Lake Catholic’s Ricky Stanzi threw for a season-high 296 yards and three touchdowns, including a 33-yard TD pass to Stross to set the pace of their offense. Stross’ TD gave Iowa an early 7-0 lead, one they build to 21-7 before having to stave off a Red Wolves rally that brought it to within three, at 24-21 with 2:01 left to play.

“They stuck around, stuck around, stuck around and it almost bit us in the butt. But we got the job done,” Stross said.

Stross finished with four catches for 64 yards.

swalker@MorningJournal.com