Alex Cooper was born in the Bahamas, so he's used to flying on airplanes. He's a 6-foot-4, 305-pound football player for Houston, so he's used to wedging himself into seats back by the lavatory. And he's an offensive lineman, so he's used to seeing other people get extra attention and all the glory.

Ah, but that has all changed this season. New Cougars coach Tom Herman decided before the season that team boosters would be evicted from first class on team flights, and linemen would be replacing them.

View photos Tom Herman's Cougars are 5-0 with a legitimate chance to run the table this season. (Getty) More

"He said the heads of this team, the offensive linemen and the defensive linemen, will be in first class," Cooper told Yahoo Sports by phone. "You looked around the room and all the big guys had a smile on their faces."

Cooper didn't quite buy it until he got his boarding pass to Louisville for the team's first road game. Then, for the first time in his life, he was seated in the realm of the high rollers.

"I took a lot of selfies," he says. "I usually sleep but I had to enjoy every second. Flight attendants made sure we were extra cozy. I got some pillows and blankets."

This policy is a big part of why Herman and Houston are unbeaten (5-0) going into the latter half of October and ranked (No. 24) for the first time in four years. The linemen lead the team onto the field, they lead the team off the bus, and they even eat first. Herman said he got the idea from his old boss, Urban Meyer, at Ohio State.

"If you follow the right guard through a practice, you'd be amazed at what they put their bodies through," Herman told Yahoo Sports. "They are the ultimate gladiators for our team and the university. Putting them in first class is the least we can do on a plane ride on the way to do battle and perform their gladiatorial duties."

The gladiators are leading the way toward the end zone, as the Cougars are sixth in the nation in scoring (46.4 points per game) behind quarterback Greg Ward Jr., who is a converted wide receiver. Ward, a junior, has 11 rushing touchdowns, and if you wonder where the flow of the Ohio State offense went this year, perhaps you should look to Houston.

"He knows exactly what he's talking about," Ward says of Herman, "because of what he did at OSU."

Herman traces the success of this very watchable offense back to the parts of the game few watch: in the trenches. Not many people thought Houston could go to Louisville and win, but the Cougars played with an edge and it worked.

View photos Houston QB Greg Ward Jr. has benefited greatly from his offensive line this season, accounting for 19 TDs. More

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