These moving mountains with arms and legs were extra-extra-large. Some of them were so big, they needed blinking lights on front and back to signal wide load to those who crossed their paths.
The problem for seventh-year Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez is all this size didn't provide a big payload. Entering Saturday night's season finale with the University of Hawaii, Wisconsin is a disappointing 6-5.
The Badgers have a lottery-winner's chance of marching in the postseason parade if every scenario falls in place, but more than likely, this is the bowl game.
Backbreaking losses to No. 6 Ohio State, No. 8 Penn State and No. 11 Northwestern by a total of 10 points will keep Wisconsin from making its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1993.
Wisconsin went 10-1-1 that magical season, including a 21-16 win over UCLA in the Rose Bowl that led to everyone wanting to touch the hem of Alvarez's garment.
That lasted until Gary Barnett led Northwestern on its improbable run to the Rose Bowl last year, leaving Alvarez facing the inevitable question of, what have you done for me lately?
Perhaps not enough.
Since 1994, the Badgers are an average 17-14-3 overall, and 10-12-2 in the Big Ten. Many feel these seniors are Alvarez's best recruits.
With players such as offensive tackle Jerry Wunsch and defensive end Tarek Saleh - who both will return in January to take part in the Hula Bowl - it's hard to argue with that theory.
Both are All-Americans headed to the National Football League. Both are the kind of difference-makers a coach must have in order to reside in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
"In many ways, this has been a particularly difficult year for us because with the kind of players we have, we expected to win more," Alvarez said yesterday.
"We played three ranked teams and had a chance to beat all three. We had Northwestern beat, and had a fluke fumble late in the game, and lost it."
That fumble with 49 seconds left by freshman sensation Ron Dayne epitomizes the frustration felt by Wisconsin fans this season.
Many believe Alvarez was guilty of bad clock management, that Dayne never should have had his hands on the ball. Despite Northwestern recovering the fumble and eventually winning the game, 34-30, Alvarez disagrees.
"I still believe that was the correct call," Alvarez said. "We would have had to punt with time left on the clock if our quarterback had taken a knee three times.
"The loss was gut-wrenching. It took a lot out of our kids. But they've bounced back. We've won three of our last four and are still alive for the bowls.
"I think our kids showed a lot of character to be able to bounce back and not just go into the tank after they lost those three games."
They can thank Dayne and a massive offensive line for that. The rookie running back from Pine Hill, N.J., needs 93 yards to break Herschel Walker's freshman rushing record of 1,616 yards.
What makes that feat even more amazing is Dayne didn't start for the Badgers until the fifth game of the season. He has averaged 168.1 yards a game as a starter. That accounts for 78.5 percent of Wisconsin's rushing total.
The 5-foot-10, 260-pounder rushed for 289 yards last week at the University of Illinois, including 103 yards in the first quarter and 109 in the second.
In back-to-back weeks, Dayne rushed for 244 yards against Purdue and 297 on 50 carries vs. Minnesota. Walker's record isn't the only freshman mark he can break or tie this season.
He needs 34 carries to set the freshman record of 292 set by Colorado State's Steve Bartolo in 1983. He also can tie the freshman mark of four 200-yard games in a season set in 1980 by Walker.
"I just want to go out and win, and do the best I can do," Dayne said. "I'm not really worried about the records. If I don't get it, then I don't get it. I just do what I do to help the team."
It helps even more that Dayne is behind the largest offensive line in the country. From tackle to tight end, the Badgers weigh a staggering 1,922 pounds. They are the only team with five starting lineman, who weigh 300 pounds or more. The average size is 6-6, 320.
"Jerry (Wunsch) is the leader of that group," Alvarez said. "He's projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL next year. Those guys have done the job."
Defense is another matter. The Badgers are giving up 377.4 yards and 20 points a game; good by Western Athletic Conference standards, but not good enough in the Big Ten.
"I thought we did a better job last week against Illinois," Alvarez said. "Our secondary has given us some problems this year, but we're working to correct that."