Helmet sticker for Ricky Stanzi

Stanzi is the manzi.

Well, at least he was on the last, game clinching play of the Hawkeye-Spartans game tonight, when he threw a perfect pass to Marvin McNutt for the winning touchdown as time expired.

It was a play for Hawkeye lore, and enough to earn Stanzi a coveted helmet sticker on ESPN’s “College Football Final.” Mark May gave it to him. (Lou Holtz’s second helmet sticker went to an Iowa State player, but I didn’t see whom he gave it to. Congrats, mystery Cyclone. I’m sure it’s ISU’s first helmet sticker ever.)

Stanzi isn’t Joe Montana. He’s not perfect; he didn’t have the best game. But he got the job done. Except for a few downs on the final drive, he ran the two-minute offensive impeccably. The Hawks drove the ball and kept their timeout. Congrats, Ricky.