South Carolina vs. LSU: Grading Gamecocks' New "Battle" Uniforms

Photo Credit: gamecocksonline.com

When things are going great for your program, what do you do?

Of course you don't keep things the way they are. You switch up the uniforms!

South Carolina will wear new custom "battle" uniforms for this week’s game against LSU, as pictures and a video were released via gamecocksonline.com. This is the second season South Carolina will wear these custom uniforms to support the Wounded Warrior Project, as the school wore them last season against Auburn, a game that the Gamecocks lost 16-13.

Hopefully this new look brings South Carolina and its fanbase better luck, as the team is now thinking about a possible national championship.

Here are the grades of the new uniforms the Gamecocks will wear this weekend against Les Miles and the LSU Tigers.

Jersey

Photo Credit: gamecocksonline.com

The jerseys the Gamecocks wore last season were absolutely amazing looking; of course, I am a sucker for black and red on uniforms. The problem was that the referees had a difficult time reading the numbers on the jersey. If this wasn't an issue, I'm sure the same look would have been used twice.

The grey look with the white numbers should not pose an issue for the old guys throwing the dirty laundry all over the field. It isn't as bad as some are making it out to be, but it is without question not as good as what the school tried to wear last season.

After all, there is not a better color combination for a jersey than red and black.

Grade: B

Pants

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While the jersey has a nice clean look to it, the pants seem out of place. The top screams that the Gamecocks are ready to play football, while the bottom makes it look like the players are ready to throw a slumber party.

Nap time, anyone?

The pants to this uniform look like pajamas more than anything, and aren't intimidating whatsoever. The digital camouflage pattern simply has to go, as it makes the players look like they just woke up after partying hard from the Georgia victory last weekend.

Grade: D

Wow Factor

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What did you expect from special uniforms that are taking part in the Wounded Warrior Project?

This look is pretty much what comes to mind when you think of the armed forces and service members. Now if South Carolina hit the field with something like this, then we would likely fall out of our chair or have to clean our reading glasses.

Not much of a wow factor, as something like this is what we should have all anticipated.

Grade: C

Tradition

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Any time you add camouflage to your uniform, there is a great chance you are breaking tradition, which really doesn't sit well with most college football fans. But the good thing is that South Carolina isn't a program such as Notre Dame or Michigan, so the Gamecocks have a much better chance of getting away with things like this.

The truth is that South Carolina does have arguably the best uniform in the SEC, so with a big game that will take place on prime time, it is somewhat of a shame the garnet and black look will not be worn. But if we are talking about tradition, you can certainly throw it out the window with this look, which may not be such a bad idea, considering it is for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Grade: C

Overall

Maybe these uniforms will finally put an end to all of the madness.

South Carolina enters this big SEC matchup with an undefeated record and ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll. The Gamecocks have accomplished all of this success using their standard uniforms, which makes for a bizarre time for a change.

So if South Carolina ends up losing this game to LSU, we can all blame it on the apparel the players were wearing and every college football program stops with the nonsense. While the theory sounds wonderful, it is of course not likely going to happen.

Overall, it certainly isn't a uniform that I would prefer to see every week, but it is for a good cause and Gamecock fans will learn to deal with it, especially if their team wins again this weekend.

Grade: C