They lost 35 pounds last week, and still weigh 1,550 pounds.

They’re one of the heaviest offensive lines in all of college football, but don’t dare call Northwestern’s five starting offensive lineman porkers.

“We’re big guys, but don’t get us confused with being fat, sloppy and lazy,” left tackle Trai Essex said with a grin. “We’re some of the sexiest people on this team.

“Just because we weigh so much doesn’t mean we don’t have sexy physiques. Girls like the big men.”

So do football teams.

Bigger is almost always better on the offensive line, and this season the Wildcats’ starting line for the first four games of the season was the fourth heaviest in Division I football with an average weight of 317 pounds, according to the NU sports information department.

“I don’t think we sat around one day and said, ‘Let’s become the biggest offensive line,'” right tackle Zach Strief said. “It just kind of happened.”

But along came the Big Ten season and the line lost weight quicker than Jared the Subway guy. The players didn’t take any guaranteed-to-work diet pills, go on the Atkins diet or stop eating the Sbarro pizza at Norris.

None of the players even lost weight. All it took to shed a measly 35 pounds was having lightweight Trevor Rees start in place of 315-pound guard Bill Newton.

At 280 pounds, several of Rees’ fellow linemen refer to him as peanut, and the freshman admitted he felt a little small around the others.

“Yeah, I feel small because I’m like 30 pounds lighter than all these guys,” Rees said. “I’m definitely the runt of the group.”

Rees is the only starter weighing in at less than 300 pounds on an NU line that is now the 12th heaviest in college football, while none of Minnesota’s starting offensive linemen weigh more than 300 pounds.

“I think we take pride in being the big brutes on the team”, guard Matt Ulrich said. “We break every huddle with hog pride.

“We’re big guys but we’re deceivingly athletic.”

When talking about their weight, each of the linemen was quick to point out that they passed the team’s conditioning test before the season, but not all are as boastful about their size, according to the 335-pound Strief.

“I’ve always been bigger than everyone else so people can think whatever they want,” said Strief, the team’s heaviest player. “But I think Trai (Essex) is little more self conscious because he used to be a skinny skill position guy.”

While Strief said he has lost about 15 pounds since he arrived at NU two years ago, Essex said he has added about 50 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame since coming to NU as a tight end.

“I’m not embarrassed about it,” Essex said. “He doesn’t have much room to talk, does he? But he takes pride in his weight. I tell him he’s got a fat butt, and he’s like, ‘So what?'”

Strief said he, Newton and Ulrich often proudly walk around with their shirts off while Essex and 315-pound guard Ikechuku Ndukwe are more hesitant.

“The three of us don’t mind being called fatboys,” Ulrich said. “But I think Trai and Ike take more offense to it.”

Ulrich has no problem with his figure — his teammates affectionately nicknamed him “chesty” because he could bench press 450 pounds as a freshman.

The 310-pound Ulrich set the school record by inclining 425 pounds, and gained his younger teammates’ admiration.

“If you look at his chest, it’s enormous,” Rees said as he put his hands on Ulrich’s chest after practice on Tuesday.

Rees, Ulrich and the rest of the line joke about their weight, but during the games they feel their size gives them an advantage.

“When you lay on guys enough they will eventually crack,” Strief said. “If you continue to pound on guys all game long they are going to break.”

The Cats’ offensive line cleared the way for the NU running backs against Ohio State last week. The Cats’ 121 yards on the ground were more than the Buckeyes allowed to their first four opponents combined, and running back Jason Wright praised the offensive line’s play.

Wright couldn’t be baited on Tuesday into taking a shot at his teammates’ larger guts, though he knew what was best for his linemen.

“I take these guys to Chipotle and bring them candy,” Jason Wright said. “I want to keep them strong and keep them big.”