Stanzi is ready to lead Iowa in Orange Bowl vs. Georgia Tech

MIAMI (AP) — The Iowa Hawkeyes were counting down the final seconds in the latest in a series of improbable victories, and offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe stood on the sideline, trying to absorb what he had just witnessed.

O’Keefe turned to his defeat-defying quarterback, Ricky Stanzi.

“I can’t remember coaching a guy who threw four interceptions before,” O’Keefe said.

“Coach,” Stanzi replied, “I threw five.”

With Stanzi, it’s easy to lose count. The junior threw 14 interceptions during the regular season, part of a high-wire act that had Iowa fans on the edge of their seats. He also led the No. 10-ranked Hawkeyes (10-2) to eight come-from-behind wins, which is why they’re in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday night against No. 9 Georgia Tech (11-2).

“It’s like being at the amusement park on the wildest roller coaster,” O’Keefe said.

Stanzi will be back in the lineup after missing the past 21‚Ñ2 games with a sprained right ankle that required surgery. The Hawkeyes were 9-0 when he got hurt.

Freshman James Vandenberg filled in for Stanzi, who returned to practice in early December and said he’s now 100 percent. But he hasn’t played in two months.

“I hope to be able to go out there and pretend it’s like riding a bike and nothing has changed,” Stanzi. “If things are little rusty, I’ll just have to shake it off and get on to the next play.”

He has been shaking things off all season. The sideline conversation at the end of the five-interception game, related by O’Keefe, came after Stanzi went 3 for 3 for 177 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter to rally Iowa past Indiana.

A week earlier at Michigan State, he went only 11 for 27 but directed three late scoring drives and threw a touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt on the final play for a 15-13 win.

“With Stanzi, you never know what’s going to happen,” McNutt said. “He’s like a boxer you can never give up on. He might get knocked down two times in the first round, but he could take you the distance and knock you out in the 12th.”