Some pregame news and notes

MIAMI ----- Hey all, this is Brian, logging on from the press box at Land Shark Stadium in extremely sunny – but not so warm, at least for this area – Miami, Fla. I’ve got the best seat in the house, Row 1, Seat 1, perfect for pictures during the game.

There’s a lot to talk about in the next four hours before kickoff, so stay tuned and keep refreshing every so often. I’ll have Hawkeyes new, analysis on what to expect from the game, and will update pictures whenever I get the chance during pregame and game action.


I do have some interesting notes worth mentioning right off the bat here. Some of the media talked to parents of various Iowa players at yesterday’s Hawkeye Huddle (which I unfortunately did not attend), and the word from those who know him is that Bryan Bulaga is absolutely going pro. We’ve all had that feeling for a few weeks, but I wouldn’t be surprised to get an official announcement tonight, despite Bulaga’s mother saying he would go home to Chicago from here to make his decision.

Also of note, Iowa has been trying some different combinations on the offensive line in practice this past week. Don’t be surprised to see freshman Riley Reiff starting at right tackle and Kyle Calloway shifting inside to right guard. Part of this could be to reward Reiff for his fantastic season, and part of it could be to combat Tech’s 6-foot-7, 341-pound monster defensive tackle T.J. Barnes.

Expect Dace Richardson to play tonight, although it’s doubtful, according to Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, that he’ll play a large majority of plays. His conditioning isn’t where it would need to be too at this point in his recovery, but his leg is well enough that he’ll be able to go tonight and rotate in and out of the game.

The story here is turning into more about the weather than anything else. Predictions are that this is going to come close to or may become the coldest Orange Bowl ever.

That’s it for now. Time to work on some analysis and predictions. If you have any questions about anything Orange Bowl related, leave a comment and I’ll get to them sooner rather than later.

Thanks for reading!