As an Alabama fan I use them a lot to make some arguments because they are a traditional power who have gone through very few uniform modifications over the years. Here’s the list:
- Alabama’s New Look (for one game)
Bama played a game in ‘06 with an slightly modified jersey which sported a Houndstooth collar to commemorate Bear Bryant’s 315th win. There was some uproar about the sanctity of the crimson jersey, but I for one thought it was a great move, and one that should be made permanent. This is proof positive that it doesn’t take a big change to give an old look a new feel. - Penn State Prison-Issue Uni and USC Playdough Yellow
Blue doesn’t even look colorful in Penn State’s uniforms; and don’t get me started on the white-on-white-on-white look. They look like a prison team, and not in an intimidating fashion. And as for USC’s yellow, I know it’s supposed to harken to the true Spartans, but wow is that one ugly color. Single ugliest uniform color in NCAA football. There are many other traditional powers that could fit into this spot–Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, etc.–but though these two may or may not be the worst of them all, they both strike me as especially awful. - Logos are updated
Alabama, among many others have updated their logos (see: Penn State, Florida, Boise State, and Oregon State, to mention a few) with great success in my opinion. Desperately needing to update: Florida State and Wake Forest, among many, many others. So if they can update their logos, why not their uniforms? - Nobody can wear throwbacks.
Because there’s usually nothing to throwback to, because the uni hasn’t changed in FIVE HUNDRED YEARS. If you really want to honor tradition–and you do, I know you do, because college football is all about tradition–you can better honor it by wearing a throwback. Alabama had to update their uniform to commemorate a historical achievement. - Other Teams have done it, and look good.
The new uniforms sported by progressive teams aren’t as bad as all the uproar. Hawaii and Oregon have great uniforms, and the writers who take jabs at them are stuck in the past. The progressive styles of these uniforms make a good argument for why uniforms SHOULD be upgraded. - The NFL
In the most popular sport in the most popular league in America, NFL uniforms change almost annually, updating, keeping it fresh. College football should emulate this. Miami seems to be the only traditional power to be updating in a similar fashion. And I like it. - College Football is stuck in the past.
I love my Tide and I love the rich tradition, but there are ways to honor the past without being stuck in it. - Michigan
Michigan has great potential; they’ve got the best helmet design in college football and their colors aren’t bad. With a little design improvement those unis could be sensational. - Stop Knocking Orange!
People keep knocking Miami, Clemson, Tennessee, Texas, Oregon State and Florida (among others) because of the predominant orange they use. In my opinion orange is an awesome color for uniforms–it’s bright and bold and looks fresh. Not that I want my team to change to orange, I like Crimson just fine, but I do believe the orange looks good. - Design Details
The metal stamp design on Oregon’s shoulders, the thin line on Boise State’s jersey, the band on Hawaii’s leg–individually you might find these accents hideous, but I don’t. Adding details to a uniform spices it up and makes it fresh and new. A tiny accent–like the Houndstooth collar on Alabama’s one-time jersey in ‘06–can make a huge difference in a uniform’s appearance.
[...] a little (I’m on record as saying it’s time to spice up the Crimson Tide’s unis (as well as a lot of other college football teams’), so don’t throw that in my [...]
I go to Virginia Tech and I’m CRYING OUT for a freaking orange alternate uni. I don’t care how ugly it will be – orange jersey, maroon pants for ONE FREAKING GAME.
Maybe even maroon jersey, orange pants FOR ONE FREAKING GAME.
Please, Lord!
I tell you, I think VTech is one of those progressive schools that has a good uniform. I agree with you though, an orange jersey would look AWESOME.
There is a thin line between “nice” and “tacky.” Personally, I see Oregon’s uniforms, and I think most of them are tacky. They have like 9 different variations, I think.
Alabama could use an update. Even outlining numbers in black or dark grey would be nice. Tennessee did that to their white unis and made them look much nicer. My personal favorite uniforms in college football would have to be USC’s basic red uniform. It is classic, yet still modern. I like it. I agree with you on Miami. They seem to always have small updates that keep the uniform interesting.
College basketball seems to have a good grip on this. I am a Duke fan, and each year the uniform is slightly changed. It is never anything crazy or tacky, but it is different.
Schools such as Alabama, Notre Dame, and Penn State, Hell even as much as I hate them, Michigan, all have history and quite a bit of it.. they are programs who in recent years may have faltered or not have been in contention for playing in national championships or as far as michigan and Notre Dame getting killed in bcs bowl games but nevertheless they are programs built on prestige and history, most of all class!…so Making Dramatic “oregon and Hawaii like” changes to these teams uniforms would be, in my eyes, disgusting. So yes lets keep it within the limits… think about it do you really want to see these “traditional” schools go excentric ….I don’t
Oklahoma & Alabama have pretty much the same uniform & color, so I am not sure why you would put Oklahoma on your list of ugliest uniforms (Oklahoma’s candy apple helmets are a lot prettier than Alabama’s numbered helmets. Does Alabama have an issue with getting them mixed up?). Oregon & Hawaii uniforms look like fake pro teams from a movie…UGLY!
Oh yeah, Michigan’s helmet looks like a bored student’s experiment with masking tape.
ARGH! You’re telling me Okie unis and helmets are better than Bama? Are you kidding me? Of course, the problem could be that every time I see Oklahoma I have to hear that godawful Boomer Sooner, the most irritating scratch this side of a Billy Ray Cyrus CD.
tradition. sometimes it works sometimes it does not.it works for michigan usc oklahoma.it does not for alabama penn st.let me just say for so called modern unis, all one color sucks! florida oregon,s fla. a contrast makes a uni standout.miami is cool but orange does not work all the time.texas tennessee,syracuse ok. florida [again]clemson va tech fla a&m no.