The Army Black Knights appeared at Jack Trice Stadium with their run-dominated offense and blitzing defense, intent on imposing their physical style upon the spread-out Cyclones on both sides of the ball.

It turns out, that spread doesn’t mean soft. Size still matters in college football.

Iowa State’s large offensive line played a tremendous influence on the game, Army’s wide-out Ali Villanueva was a game changer in tight situations, and the Cyclone defensive line was able to influence the undersized Army offense enough to force it out of its comfort zone.

“I think our offensive line did an outstanding job of sustaining blocks and finishing them off,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said after the game. “The offense had an excellent plan — the offensive staff, they are extremely sound at what they do,”

Rhoads has insisted on toughness since he set foot on campus, and the now 3-1 Cyclones were the bigger team. It showed in the trenches. Weighing in at a 327-pound average on the offensive line and 272 pounds on the D-line, the Cyclones punished the seventh-ranked Army run defense for 201 rushing yards and held the Army offense to 29 total yards in the fourth quarter to put away the game.

“The other team’s offense has only averaged 60 plays a game against them, and we’re averaging 75, close to 80,” quarterback Austen Arnaud said. “We knew that we were going to have to keep the defense off the field and stay on, and in the second half I think we did that.”

Arnaud took snaps for the offense on 63 plays for 376 total yards, including 175 yards passing and 70 yards rushing for three total touchdowns.

Army’s defensive line’s 252-pound average just couldn’t make up the size difference it was giving to the ISU offense, enabling Cyclone running back Alexander Robinson to tally 132 yards on the ground for 3 total touchdowns, his third hundred-yard effort in a row. Army’s small but cut-blocking offensive line weighed in at 267 pounds per player, giving the Cyclone defensive line, usually a quicker unit, a five-pound-per-player advantage against the offense.

Although Iowa State was able to dictate the play at the line of scrimmage, the Cyclones didn’t have all the size and impact on the game. Army’s only touchdown went to the 6-foot-10 Villanueva, putting up a season-high six catches for 77 yards and the score assisted by the nearly 13-inch and 90-pound advantage he had on embattled-Cyclone cornerback Kennard Banks.

“It’s like OK, I know that this guy’s bigger than me for one. I gotta really use my technique that I was taught to defend this guy,” Banks said. “When the ball is in the air, I see his hands, and he’s probably over seven-feet with his hands in the air and I just try to play his hands and knock the ball.”

Banks’ 35-inch vertical reach let him make a few big stops on the basketball center-sized athlete. However, after two incomplete fade attempts in a row in the second quarter, Villanueva was able to catch the third pass, resulting in a five-yard touchdown catch that was likely more probability than purpose.

“Kennard made a couple nice plays on those fade balls, up until the last one that went for a touchdown,” Rhoads said. “You got a target that big and the quarterback puts the ball in the right place, it’s tough to defend that ball. Kennard defending two out of three is pretty darn good.”

Army’s lack of a 300-pounder on the roster, as well as the absence of redshirts, a common holding year that gives players more practice experience without playing during the year, put them at a disadvantage. Iowa State has 12 of its 22 starters that held redshirts during their careers, giving them the extra year of workouts. The physicality of Iowa State’s size and experience was instrumental to the victory.

“Tuesday through Thursday we’re gonna put the pads on, we’re gonna hit each other, we’re gonna expect them to wrap up, we’re going to expect them to be where they’re supposed to be and do it full-speed,” Rhoads said. “And when you do that, your opportunity to execute on Saturday is increased tremendously.”

With all the numbers and, all the size flying around the field, the gargantuan ISUIowa State offensive line is still blocking with a purpose., Tand that purpose is the 5-foot-9 and 187- pound Robinson.

Robinson finished the contest with 24 touches for 183 total yards and a trio of scores,, which included an option pitch that went forward from Arnaud, a Barry Sanders-like streak down the sideline from 68 -yards out, and a 32- yard swing pass out of the backfield, with blown coverage leaving him all alone running towards the reflection of the Jacobson building.

“I don’t know if there’s any secret to it. We talk about it as I’m pressed for answers about his ability. I think he’s got the chance in this system and, with what his physical attributes are, to be a very good back,” Rhoads said.

Robinson credits his blocking in every interview., Wand with all the size in front of him and getting him the ball back on defense, he almost has to.

“The offensive line is doing a very good job opening up holes for him and giving him the lanes to run through. It’s the offensive line that’s really doing the dirty work, giving him an opportunity to bust out and get all those home runs.”

TBut the shortest player on the Cyclone offense is blowing up on the stat sheets, proving that while size in the trenches gets the job done, it isn’t everything. Especially when you’re high-stepping into the end zone.