Virginia Tech tried to use Iowa's help in beating Georgia Tech Thursday night

Last spring, Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster visited Iowa City for three days.

It wasn't for Panchero's burritos, or the omelettes at the Hamburg Inn, or the deep dish pizza at the Wig and Pen. Nay, Foster wanted some insight in how to stop Georgia Tech's option offense.

The Hawkeyes held the Yellow Jackets to 155 yards of offense in Iowa's 24-14 victory over Georgia Tech in the Jan. 5 Orange Bowl.

Last year, the Yellow Jackets rushed 63 times for 309 yards in a 28-23 win over Virginia Tech in Atlanta. Georgia Tech averaged 85 more yards per game than Virginia Tech over their 2008 and 2009 meetings.

The stats didn't change much Thursday night in Blacksburg, Va., but Virginia Tech won, 28-21, thanks to David Wilson's 90-yard kickoff return with 2:23 left in the game.

Georgia Tech rushed 51 times for 346 yards. But the Hokies, ranked 20th, earned their seventh-straight win after starting the season with losses to Boise State and James Madison.

About that Iowa trip by the Virginia Tech defensive coordinator. This Washington Examiner story on Thursday detailed why the Hokies tried to get some education at Iowa.

"We've respected how [Iowa] plays defense for a number of years," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer told reporters. "It kind of had a dual purpose there, getting together and talking a little bit -- of course, talking about Georgia Tech somewhat, too."

Somewhat.

A week earlier, Foster didn't soft-play the reason for visiting Norm Parker and his fellow Iowa defensive coaches. This Roanoke Times story noted as much.

"It was specifically to talk about Georgia Tech," said Foster, adding that as soon as the Hokies finished reviewing video of their own 2009 season in January, "the first thing we did was look at Georgia Tech."

Foster went to Iowa despite having back surgery three weeks earlier. He said he could barely get out of his hotel bed each morning. But he did, because he's sick of seeing the Yellow Jackets run through his otherwise stingy defense.

In the two games the Hokies have faced coach Paul Johnson's option, they've given up 588 rushing yards. Georgia Tech dashed Virginia Tech's national title hopes last season, when the Hokies simply could not get a stop in the second half.

Now get this: The winner of the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech won the ACC Coastal Division every year from 2005 to 2009.

Now get this, too, Iowa fans: If your guys win the rest of their games, but lose out on the Big Ten's Rose Bowl berth to Wisconsin, it's possible the 10-2 Hawkeyes could get invited back to the Orange Bowl.

And the team that meets the at-large squad in the Orange Bowl is the ... ACC champion.

Thebiglead.com is projecting an Iowa-Virginia Tech Orange Bowl. Not that bowl projections on Nov. 4 mean any more than the campaign promises you heard the last several weeks.

Just how much about Iowa's defense did Virginia Tech's defensive coordinator pick up in three days?