PETE: Ninth-ranked Iowa State continues to prove you can thrive very well in a five-star college football world, a bunch of blue-collar players

Carson Hansen’s touchdown with just less than 5 minutes remaining in Iowa State’s stunning 28-16 victory at West Virginia Saturday night, got me wondering. Just how many players that have made significant contributions to the school’s first 6-0 start since 1938, were of the four- or five-star variety.

Hansen, who scored three touchdowns and rushed for 96 yards at a pick-your-poison running back position?

Nope. Three-star.

Rocco Becht, who has thrown a touchdown pass in 10 consecutive games and continues to be the most under-appreciated (outside Cyclones fandom) Big 12 quarterback?

Three stars.

Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, the conference’s best receiver tandem?

You’ve gotta be kidding. Three stars.

Abu Sama, who thrashed Kansas State’s defense a season ago for 276 rushing yards and rushed for 101 yards this season against Houston?

Three.

Defensive standouts such as Jontez Williams, Kooper Ebel, Dom Orange, Malik Verdon, Beau Freyler and J.R. Singleton, among others?

See above.

I think you get my point. In a college football world of four- and five-star guys, a tag given by recruiting services, Iowa State not only is living, but thriving to the point where:

** Matt Campbell’s team, which hosts UCF at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, is a serious threat for the Big 12 Conference title, and its second appearance in the conference’s championship game that goes with it.

** His guys can win the Big 12 Conference title game.

** And don’t forget, with this dozen-team College Football Playoffs, his team is heavy in that conversation.

With a roster full of developmental players, CMC’s blue-collar team again proves Breece Hall’s line that five-star culture beats five-star players every time.

That’s top-notch recruiting. It’s wonderful coaching. It’s the definition of that developmental program about which Campbell talks – a program that today, is flying high as one of just two Big 12 unbeatens, with six Big 12 games to play, and a Top Ten Associated Press (the media) ranking.

“It takes constant growth, if you want to be a team that can continue to grow and get better,” Campbell told reporters after the West Virginia game. “It takes constant growth week-in and week-out in college football. Right now, it’s really hard to sustain success.”

Iowa State Cyclones players celebrate with fans after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Look around college football. See all the players that have left teams during the season, in favor of hitting the transfer portal? So far, that trend hasn’t found its way to Iowa State. At 6-0, all’s well.

“Dealing with 18–22-year-olds, you are dealing with a lot, and the reality of it is, you have to have enough humility and character about yourself to keep coming to work every day and getting better,” Campbell continued after the West Virginia game. “So far, our kids have been able to do that. We are fortunate to have great senior leadership in the program.”

While the running back position has been example of who’s Let’s Make a Deal door do you select among Hansen, Sama and Jaylon Jackson, what’s gone on at the linebacker position has been just short of amazing.

Eleven have played, some obviously also on special teams. Five different players have started. Injuries have kept two potential starters from even playing. Another starter, Caleb Bacon, has missed the last five games due to injury.

You do the math, but throughout the many subtractions and additions, something has been constant:

Campbell’s program has reached a point, where his coaches can plug-and-play without losing much of a beat.

“There are some young pups that we have lined up playing good football,” Campbell said.

There’s not a senior linebacker on the roster. Just three juniors at the position have played. The others are sophomores, redshirt freshmen or true freshmen.

And the Cyclones are in College Football Playoff conversations?

You bet they are – with more than half Saturday’s starters having eligibility beyond 2024 remaining. And most importantly, Campbell’s team is just one of two Big 12 unbeatens – and they don’t play the other, BYU, this season. And get this: They’re doing all this despite being the only Top Ten team without nary a five-star player on the roster.

BTW: The first College Football Playoffs ratings come out on Nov. 5. That’s election day. There’s got to be a snarky line in there someplace.

(Randy Peterson can be reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close)