Ranking The Georgia Bulldogs' Uniforms

In what appears to have become my bi-weekly critique of sports dress code, this week's Georgia-Florida helmet argument has sparked me to take a look back at all of the different looks Georgia has sported over the years.

Yes, Georgia's uniform is a traditional one, but they actually have made plenty of changes in their uniforms that have made a difference. More notably, they have changed up their attire on occasions before against Florida.

Against the Gators, Georgia is 0-2 when sporting a black garment. Despite common chatter of disdain, Georgia is still 2-1 in those black jerseys. But, let us move away from trying to associate attire with performance, and just contrast what Georgia wore on Saturday vs. the rest.

Win or lose, I do not think those uniforms were up to snuff. Take a look.

Silver-Red-Silver

Ah-hah! Bet you did not know that did you? Georgia's original uniform during the modern era (c. 1960's) had a silver helmet, red jersey, and silver britches.

Though you cannot tell in this black and white picture of Frank Tarkenton.

The silver helmet got a block "G" logo slapped on it eventually, but in 1967 Georgia switched to the oval "G" in collaboration with the Green Bay Packers (who, to push aside any confusion, started using the "G" in the same year).

Black-White-Black (2009)

Okay, so maybe had we won wearing these we would force ourselves to like their progressive style.

But these uniforms still have one big problem, regardless. The red face mask is way too cheesy. It made the Dawgs look like a high school team. I have a feeling a black face mask would have made this a decent set.

I even really liked the black pants, which need to make an appearance with the white jersey and red helmet ASAP.

But this look overall was a little weak. I think, as opposed to the fans getting rowdy with the black jerseys in 2007, that fans had more of a "What the heck are we wearing?" reaction when they saw these.

It's not that we would not have embraced a new helmet, it's that the helmet looked terrible.

The Drop Shadow Era Uni's

There is one reason these uniforms get their own category. The drop shadows on the numbers and the plain jerseys were so unappealing!

Georgia has made plenty of subtle changes to their sleeve/collar stripes, logo placement, and helmet stripe from 1996 until now.

But, the drop shadows, which debuted in 1996 and did not leave until the year of the Hobnail Boot, were the worst part of Georgia's uniform.

From 1996-1997, Georgia also wore those plain jerseys with the worst collar/sleeve pattern to date, so that gets associated with the drop shadows in my book.

Georgia's uniform has actually reverted to the classic since.

Red-White-Black (1997)

This is the look that would have passed against Florida this last weekend. The red helmet, white jersey, black pants look is a snazzy one.

In 1998 ('97 season bowl game), Georgia wore black pants for the first time ever. They won the game.

I like the overall look of this set, but check out how nontraditional the jerseys and helmet looked then compared to now.

The Old School Look

I classify this as its own set. Georgia's uniforms from the 70s to the early 90s looked something like this.

The big difference here is the numbers were either solid white on red, or either solid black on white. Also, this was during the time of sleeves, which allowed for the much more noticeable pattern.

Red-Red-Black (1998)

That is right, Saturday was not the first time Georgia broke out the black britches out against Florida.

In 1998 Georgia wore black pants for just the second time in team history, and got slaughtered.

The look however really is not too bad. As a matter of fact some people were kind of bummed when we did not wear this combination last year against Florida (after a rumor broke out of Georgia wearing "colored pants").

If you notice, the helmet, jersey, and black pants from 1998 are different than the red helmet, red jersey, and black pants we wore this year.

Georgia had a less traditional look from 1996-2000, with a black stripe on the helmet.

The Red Pants

Georgia wore red pants during the early 80s, but have not worn them since. I actually do not think I would like a modernized version of this combination as much as I would a red/white/black combination.

Even though Walker trucked Bates wearing these bad boys.

Red-White-Silver

There is a reason this uniform rocks. Red helmet, white jersey, black numbers, and silver pants.

Oh, did we mention the three colored asymmetric pants stripe?

That is right, Georgia's road uniform combination is the most unique and distinct uniform in college football. Why? Nobody else wears a uniform that follows that blueprint.

Red-Red-Silver

Nothing is cleaner than this, however when Georgia simplified their uniform in 2005, the pants went from a metallic silver to a matte grey.

The pants do not have that same shine to them they used to, which kind of takes away from the trademark term, "Silver Britches!"

Red-Black-Silver (2007-2008)

It's funny how success can justify a uniform. In contrast to the disdain for Georgia's latest uniform stunt, the Georgia "Blackout" uniforms symbolized the central part of the Mark Richt era.

They were worn for the first time, in correspondence with 92,000 people in black shirts, when they took the field against Auburn in 2007.

Georgia won 45-20, and they wore the jerseys again in their 41-10 Sugar Bowl victory later in the year.

But, regardless, these uniforms actually looked good—really good. This might be the cleanest and classiest alternate uniform in College Football, and I hope it makes the field once a year, win or lose.