College Football's Top Fifteen Uniforms
by The Beast
Not that the fireworks are all over and NCAA Football 08 has been released, the College Football season is just around the corner.
We could predict conference champions, Heisman Trophy winners, or even Louisville for the national title, but why not rank the best uniforms in College Football. I hope you enjoy.
Each of the following teams will be rated on a 1-10 scale for each of the following categories:
A. Color Scheme: It is essential to have the right color scheme. Some colors simply look good together while others don’t.
B. Helmets: On a football uniform, the helmet is one of the most recognizable parts. A sharp design or pride stickers give a bonus to a team.
C. Flashiness/Sharpness: There has to be some excitement; I don’t want a jersey to be plain and boring. However, there can also be too much flashiness. A team needs to be sharp but flashy at the same time.
D. Tradition: It has to have some tradition in it. When you look at the jersey, it has to remind you of great players, legendary coaches, and dominating teams.
- All ties go to the winner of category C.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 7
Flashiness/Sharpness: 9
Tradition: 3
Overall: 29
Final Thoughts: I think the Jayhawks have the most underrated uniforms in College Football. Seriously, they look sharp with a little flash. Reminds me of the New York Football Giants.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 6
Flashiness/Sharpness: 6
Tradition: 9
Overall: 31
Final Thoughts: Penn State's uniforms are celebrated by most college football fans as the prototypical "classic" uniform. However, many fans, including myself, just feel that they are boring. They don't feature a logo on the helmet, an alternate jersey, or anything unique about the uniforms. On the other hand, we still must respect the "classic" look.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 8
Flashiness/Sharpness: 10
Tradition: 3
Overall: 31
Final Thoughts: If tradition wasn't a factor in these rankings than Louisville would have been much higher. Seeing that it is, the Cardinals are only thirteenth. The Cardinals have really only become a football powerhouse recently, and the tradition factor hasn't had enough time to settle in. If these rankings are conducted in twenty years expect the Cardinals to break the top ten.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 7
Flashiness/Sharpness: 7
Tradition: 8
Overall: 32
Final Thoughts: Once again, the "classic" look does wonders for me. The Navy uniforms have the traditional solid color helmet and the basic color combinations with no special stripes or logos. It might surprise you, but with two Heisman Trophy winners and a national championship there is also a fair amount of tradition in the blue and gold uniforms of Navy.
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Color Scheme: 9
Helmets: 7
Flashiness/Sharpness: 7
Tradition: 9
Overall: 32
Final Thoughts: I am not a big fan of the color orange, but I seem to be okay with Texas's burnt orange. It seems that it mixes pretty well with the white. I happen to be a big fan of Texas's all-white look. While, it isn't anything special, the all-white seems to be a little flashy.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 8
Flashiness/Sharpness: 6
Tradition: 9
Overall: 33
Final Thoughts: As you can see, having a classic uniform with a little tradition helps. Army was once a dominate powerhouse in college football during the first half of the 20th century. They haven't continued their success in the modern era but they still look good.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 8
Flashiness/Sharpness: 7
Tradition: 8
Overall: 33
Final Thoughts: To my surprise Georgia does not typically crack most people's top ten in regards to their uniforms. I have a soft spot for teams that feature a combination of black socks and black shoes. While the Dawgs fit that ideal, they also have a nice classic look to their jerseys. I nominate the Bulldogs's jerseys as the most underrated in college football.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 7
Flashiness/Sharpness: 8
Tradition: 8
Overall: 33
Final Thoughts: There is something about the gold that gets me all excited. I think the gold goes well with a little bit of navy blue and the white shoes and socks combination. One thing is for sure, Calvin Johnson looked sweet it them.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 7
Flashiness/Sharpness: 8
Tradition: 10
Overall: 35
Final Thoughts: As Trojan fanatic, I love USC's uniforms. The Trojans have a nice color combination and a lot of tradition in them. It all seems to make perfect sense for the Trojans. They have the Trojan on the helmet, a Trojan horse for a mascot, and play in the Coliseum. I like it!
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 9
Flashiness/Sharpness: 6
Tradition: 10
Overall: 35
Final Thoughts: It can't get any more "classic" than the University of Alabama. With numbers on the helmet in addition to wearing the same uniforms since the birth of the program, Alabama certainly claims the "classic" and "tradition" look.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 9
Flashiness/Sharpness: 7
Tradition: 10
Overall: 36
Final Thoughts: Tradition! Tradition! In the eyes of many Americans, Notre Dame means College Football. They've had the same jerseys forever. However, in the past decade they have made some changes that have helped to improve the jerseys over time (the black socks and a new green alternate jersey).
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Color Scheme: 9
Helmets: 10
Flashiness/Sharpness: 8
Tradition: 10
Overall: 37
Final Thoughts: If I just did a poll of the best helmets in College Football, Michigan would certainly win. However, the rest of the jersey causes the Wolverines to land just at four, particularly the socks. At times the Wolverines wear high blue socks which look great but at times they sport basic white socks to go along with black socks. An overdose of maize and a boring shoe/sock combination causes the Wolverines to slide a little.
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 9
Flashiness/Sharpness: 8
Tradition: 10
Overall: 37
Final Thoughts: I actually didn't think that Ohio State would be all that high before doing these rankings. However, I learned that the Buckeyes had some very attractive features. The helmets are first rate, especially when one half is covered in pride stickers. The black socks, black shoes, and black ankle braces, make the jerseys pretty flashy while keeping the same traditional look. Ohio State definitely deserves a top five spot.
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Color Scheme: 9
Helmets: 9
Flashiness/Sharpness: 10
Tradition: 9
Overall: 37
Final Thoughts: The National champs certainly have some nice uniforms, with the exception of the Nike made "orange sleeve" jerseys. I think that the Gators are well-balanced in my four major categories. The have a pretty nice color scheme that looks sharp, particularly on the helmets. While looking sharp, they have a little flash to complement it as well. They aren't short of tradition either. Hey, they made Gatorade!
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Color Scheme: 10
Helmets: 10
Flashiness/Sharpness: 9
Tradition: 9
Overall: 38
Final Thoughts: I am sure placing Florida State at number one is sure to create a little controversy as I have never seen the Seminoles ranked number one in any similar ranking system. The Noles do an outstanding job of incorporating their mascot into the jerseys. The tomahawk pride stickers and the tomahawk logo truly symbolize their school nickname. In addition, the Seminoles also look flashy while also marinating a sharp look.
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So, what is your take?