Halftime -- Iowa dominant but . . .

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi started 8-for-8 and threw two touchdown passes to fuel a 14-7 halftime lead for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa rolled up 257 yards to Georgia Tech's 32, but cornerback Jerrard Tarrant's 40-yard interception return for a touchdown with 7:24 left in the first quarter kept Tech in it after falling behind 14-0.

Tech punted after recovering an Iowa fumble and that's news. The Yellow Jackets went 22 straight possessions without punting.

Tech punted and the Hawkeyes answered.

Sophomore wideout Marvin McNutt rebounded quickly from his fumble on the Hawkeyes' opening drive.

After tight end Tony Moeaki gained 54 yards to Tech's 9, Iowa found itself with a third-and-9. Stanzi, who hit Moeaki on the play-action bootleg, put up a perfect fade pass to McNutt, who outleaped cornerback Jerrard Tarrant for a 7-0 lead with 8:10 left in the first quarter.

It was McNutt's eighth TD of the season, which is tied for fourth most for a season in Iowa history.

Tech had 14 3- and outs entering the game, fewest in the country. The Jackets had four in their first four possessions against the Hawkeyes.

So, with the offense completely fizzling, Tech got something out of its defense.

Tarrant, whose night was circling the drain, stepped in front of a Stanzi pass and took it 40 yards for a TD to pull Tech within 14-7 with 24 seconds left in the first half.

Iowa wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos ran a curl to the inside and then started leaking to the outside. Stanzi threw inside and Tarrant was right there for his fourth non-offensive TD this season.

Iowa had a particularly bad series near the beginning of the second quarter.

After running back Brandon Wegher carried twice for 15 yards and brought the Hawkeyes to a first down at Tech's 30, Johnson-Koulianos dropped a pass while twisting his right knee badly on the Iowa sideline. He left the game and, after review, the catch was reversed.

Then, Stanzi was sacked for a 5-yard loss by blitzing linebacker Steven Sylvester. Stanzi was called for his second delay of game and the Hawkeyes found themselves with a third-and-20 at Tech's 40. No field goal, no nothing with a drive that started at Tech's 45.

But the Hawkeyes held Tech to another punt. The Jackets got a first down on Anthony Allen's 16-yard run -- their first of the game -- but were forced to punt on fourth-and-8 from their 33. At this point, Tech had zero passing yards.

Tech finished the half with one first down to Iowa's 11. Tech QB Josh Nesbitt was 0-for-2 for 0. Tech's leading rusher was Anthony Allen, who accounted for Tech's only first down with a 16-yard carry.

But the Jackets were still very much in it.

After that 8 of 8, Stanzi cooled off and finished the half 13 of 20 for 185 yards, the pick and two TDs. He had a weak throw when Iowa went for it on fourth-and-5 inside Tech territory with 17 seconds left in the first half.

Johnson-Koulianos never really made it back after the injury. Wegher led the Hawkeyes with 39 yards on eight carries.

Watch for Tech's offensive adjustments. What coach Paul Johnson did in the first half didn't work. Tech will adjust.