(Click here to check out my thoughts on Week 15 of the 2009 NFL season.)
One of the best features of college football are the uniforms. They add a certain flare to those Saturday games. As a fan I have many jerseys I adore, but since I am an LSU Tiger I will not include them in my Top 10 because let's be honest nothing can top that purple and gold, white uniform the Bayou Bengals wear nearly every Saturday.
So....here are my Top 10 College Football Uniforms Minus LSU's
10. Baylor Bears
When the Baylor Bears wear their green uniforms it looks classical, yet stylish. Now, I understand ND has a green jersey, but keep in mind Notre Dame wears their green jerseys about as often as Haley's comet comes around. The mild-colored green jerseys seem to go hand-in-hand with the solid gold helmets for this Waco, Texas university. Now if only the school could get a decent football coach.
9. UCLA Bruins
Light blue is a hard color to make look both respectable and intimidating, while staying away from that "baby" image. The Bruins due just that as the uniforms seem to say to opponents, "I'm going to score, and I'm going to look damn good doing it." Also, it helps that the school's letters are written in Greek-esque cursive. Love it.
8. Michigan Wolverines
There is something about that Michigan uniform that is so intimidating and fearing. I really can not put my finger on why the maize and blue suits strike fear in all who look at them. For me personally when I think of those uniforms I think of a wide receiver who runs like the wind and is built like a linebacker. And I imagine that wide receiver on the line of scrimmage glaring at the cornerback, watching the ball, and waiting for the snap...
7. Hawaii Warriors
Back when they were the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors the jerseys the school wore looked like something Barney the Dinosaur wore to bed. Not even joking. After dropping "Rainbow" from the name things have only gotten better. In the past couple years the black jersey Hawaii unis have been stunning. Believe or not, you actually fear the Warriors when they are all dressed in black, while showing a little green on the helmet...the lovely "H."
6. Fresno State Bulldogs
All red. It's so vivid. It's so there. I'm sorry not sure what the heck those two sentences I just wrote mean. Anyway, FSU's red uniforms make bright red look dangerous because danger seems to always be associated with the color red. Not sure why. More importantly, the red unis are a trademark of Fresno. You see red uni it is Fresno State...or maybe Rutgers. Anyway, you get the point.
5. Colorado Buffaloes
The helmet art is one the biggest reasons the Colorado uniform is so awesome. That "C" and "U" going through that crazy Buffalo. Love it all. But then there's the black jerseys. All black, no color. I can still remember when Coach Gary Barnett was there and the school actually had a team. Or how about when Rick Neuhesel was coaching? Those were the days the unis were at there best. They were the purest definition of pain on the football field.
4. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Smurfs is what they the call baby blue uniforms the Tar Heels wear. Not going to lie, they have grown on me. When the defense was looking good (back when Mack Brown was there) it looked like a tidal wave was hitting the QB during a sack. But as we all know, it was not a wave, but rather a group of Tar Heels wearing some breath taking uniforms.
3. Oregon Ducks
Whoa, calm down! Before you badger me for liking one of Oregon's 324 uniforms let me state there is actually 325 if you saw the Washington game last week. Oregon wore some white unis I fell in love with. They seem to fit Dennis Dixon and Jonathon Stewart perfectly because white seems to be a mystery color, and let's be honest Oregon is a mystery team.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
White. The one color (it's a color don't give me that shade crap) that seems to have no feel. No emotion. It's nothing. It's white. Well, that use to be true until the all white Penn State uniform. That's a uniform. That is college football. It really is the something that makes college football, college football. Indescribe is the best word for the PSU uniform. Indescribe...like the color white.
1. Washington Huskies
And the No. 1 uniform (minus LSU's) is Washington University! Why? Got to be honest I love the purple and gold jerseys. Yes they are LSU colors, but so what the Huskies look superb when they are wearing the purple jerseys and solid gold helmets. It's a look that is the very definition of beauty in college football. Did I really just say that last sentence? Sorry, I get passionate about my college football uniforms.
Hey, I'm interested in hearing what you guys consider the Top 10 uniforms in college football! Just feel free to leave a comment!
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5 comments:
10. USC Trojans - The maroon and yellow with the Trojan on the helmet, like the LSU tiger and the Michigan wings and stripes, set the USC uniform apart from any other. I must admit, maroon and yellow isn't my favorite color combo but you know that uniform when you see it, which is what puts it in my top ten.
9. Clemson Tigers - Orange and white is also not my favorite color combo, particularly in a football uniform, but the big paw print on the helmet is a classic, who else could it be other than the Clemson Tigers?!
8. Boston College Eagles - The dark maroon on a white jersey with dark maroon pants are crisp and vibrant, the eagle on the sleeve sets the combo off nicely. However, I'm not fond f the gold helmet, it's a miss match and, in my opinion, detracts from the uniform.
7. Notre Dame - Fighting Irish - The dark green and gold, while very plain and simple, you can almost picture that little fighting Irish guys running down the field with fists drawn. Perhaps it's the uniforms simpleness that makes it stand out.
6. Washington State Cougars - I must admit, while I like the maroon, gray and white threesome, it was the artistic WSC designed into an open-mouthed growling cougar on the helmet and sleeve that draws my attention.
5. Texas A & M - I love the white on the dark maroon with the white pants look, and unlike Boston College's gold helmet, A & M's helmet fits flawlessly with the uniform, together with the big "T" surrounded by a smaller "A" and "M" give this uniform an unforgettable appeal.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions - I'm a sucker for the dark blue and when paired with the brilliant white, the two together make an amazing, fresh standoutish look for a football uniform.
3. LSU Tigers - The purple and yellow on white are an awesome triple combo and lets not forget the tiger that adds an additional touch of class to and already stylish uniform
2. North Carolina Tar Heels - The light blue with dark blue and white make a great uniform together with the familiar NC on the helmet sets the Tar Heels apart from any other. When they storm onto a field, there's no mistaking who they are.
1. Michigan Wolverines - While you gave it a #8, this is unmistakably the #1 uniform of all time. The maze and dark blue duo put this uniform in a class of it's own and the helmet is untouchable by any other. Anyone who knows anything about NCAA football knows that helmet belongs to no one other than a Wolverine! There's no feeling like sitting in the Big House when 45 of those helmets come charging out onto the field, it's nothing less than brilliant!
This is all so subjective and personal... but worth trying. First I have to say I totally disagree with some of your choices (and those of the comment above)... if you think "Fresno" when you see red, I mean, WHAT? Or Rutgers?? Ahead of Georgia, Nebraska, or Oklahoma??? That's just crazy. And Oregon?? Gaah!
Okay, here are mine. And my #1 rule is: The pants and jersey must not be the same color. That just screams "mid-major conference pretender" to me. Sorry, Marshall, South Florida, Boise, etc.!
10. Washington: Classic, clean and crisp. Stick with the gold helmet and quit going to purple.
9. Oklahoma: They look like juggernauts in that dark red top and helmet.
8. UCLA: Hard to argue with sky blue and gold. They make it work.
7. Florida State: I liked it better when they had it simpler and the garnet was darker. But it still works.
6. Michigan: Ultra-classic and distinctive. Tough and cool.
5. Texas A&M: Similar to Oklahoma-- the dark red jersey and helmet and the white pants. Nice look.
4. Hawaii: What Oregon could be if the Oregon designer didn't keep going crazy. Just classy enough, just cutting-edge enough. A nice balancing act.
3. Navy: The same look Notre Dame tries for, but they do it better, I think.
2. Virginia: The old white helmet was bad. This more modern look, with the navy blue jerseys and helmets and white pants, and the crossed swords on the helmet-- cool as heck.
1. Auburn: A great combination of old-school and modern-- the same sort of sharp look Virginia achieves with the navy blue and burnt orange, but the white helmets give them just enough tough-guy, old-school-ness to take first place.
10. Boise State - Especially when the play on the blue field, they're camoflauged.
9. Hawai'i - Just enough jazz to say party time, but still faily conservative.
8. Iowa - I don't know why, I just like the black and yellow or gold.
7. Va. Tech - before the shoulder pad patch unis.
6. Miami - Maybe b/c they were always winning(10 years ago)
5. Michigan - only b/c most people would blow a gasket if I didn't put them on here. Just because they've won wearing them, makes them great???
4. Oregon - only the green jerseys with yellow lettering. It's only the most appropriate uni in ncaaf. They look exactly like a mallard duck. Period.
3. Texas Tech - Smooth and sleek. Nothing stands out and they look good scoring(all the time)
2. Wyoming - Now wait a minute. These are hideous. Right, but they are 1000x's better looking than Penn States, so they make it. They aren't ashamed to wear them, which makes them look good.
1. Auburn - I mean come on. Classic navy, orange(before it was popular), and white. The AU symbol is only the most recognizable in college football, except, you own teams of course. War Eagle.
Bro you got this so right, Washington has the most beautiful while at the same time mean and sharp uniforms, the gold and purple is too badass. UCLA, Notre Dame are also solid but no comparison to UW. You nailed this top ten well done. college football is all about originality/tradition/looking mean, these teams have it down.
I agree with some of your choices, like Penn State, but Hawaii and Oregon belong on the Worst College Football Uniforms list.
I like the current trend at some schools to go back to old-school looks, like the 2008 Baylor Bears: plain green jerseys with plain white numbers and the 1970s grey facemasks.
Also, I think Mississippi State's uniform should be on your list - a nice, clean design.
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