College Football 2012: 20 Programs That Won't Ever Accept a Uniform Makeover

College football seems to be drifting away from the tradition that has defined it for generations. The game has evolved into one that doesn't just base itself entirely in skill sets and abilities anymore.

It's not just about who has the stronger arm, the stickiest hands or the best blocking technique. Fashion is the this decade's big thing, already making an impact through the past couple seasons.

Style is a whole new idea that has swept across the sport in the recent years, Maryland and Oregon leading the charge with a deep passion. Programs and their teams want to not only play the best, but look the best.

Supporters claim the whole idea is stay relevant and current with the times, but is that really more important than tradition and originality? 

The old uniforms of the past have been labelled as boring, only returning on days when the fans want to see a "throwback." Pro-Combat is becoming synonymous with trendy threads in many circles, sucking in national brands such as Ohio State, Stanford, and LSU. 

Some programs, however, are sticking to their guns, pledging never to allow Nike or Under Armour to mess up their classics. For the sake of clarity, let us also evaluate the difference between the terms "makeover" and "subtle changes."

"Subtle changes" is when a team inverts their helmet for single game or adds some piping to their jerseys; something that really doesn't mix-up the entire ensemble of their uniforms. A "makeover" is what Oregon and Maryland have done, cleansing away any sense of what used to be. You can never rule out one of the following teams to shy away from "subtle changes," but "makeovers" are out of the question. 

We take a look at the top 20 programs in college football that will stick to the past, favoring what will always be a traditional classic to the flash and style of the modern era.

"If you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you play good." - Deion Sanders

BYU

The Cougars have sported the same navy blue and white for ages. Their more recent lapse around the turn of the century to a more "modern" sense can be thought of as a fluke as BYU returned to the originals the past few seasons.

During the period between 1999-2003, the Cougars added a gold trim to their jerseys in addition to inverting the traditional helmet. Piping was also more or less commonplace on their uniforms, causing a subtle but overall decent change.

Then in 2004, BYU went a little too far by mixing in way too much gold. A thick helmet stripe in addition to many of the sub-lining on the jerseys and pants was changed to the milky-gold color, frustrating many fans who had just been pleased with the pre-21st century attire. After that little fiasco, don't expect the Cougars to ever allow anyone to touch their uniforms again. 

Arkansas

The Razorbacks have been pretty consistent with their uniforms for a long while now. A few minor changes here and there to ease the Arkansas program into the modern era, but nothing flashy or too strange.

Since the mid-1960's, the Hogs' helmet design hasn't really changed at all. The deep red with the Razorback logo is a classic symbol of the program and I can't imagine that ever getting changed. The jerseys and pants have also always been either red or white, something that I also can't see getting messed around with.

Under Petrino, Arkansas' uniforms has been like a man slowly wading into a freezing pool. Watching Oregon dive in from the pier didn't look too smart, so instead they've made the decision to stick to the classics, making slight changes to small details every now and then.

Clemson

The Tigers hold a very special place in the college football world, playing the part of the program that can never fully fix all their problems. Their orange and purple is a classic fashion disaster that they somehow make look decent, a miracle in itself.

Clemson's single alternate uniform, however, is already insane enough. The all-purple jerseys and pants combined with the original orange helmet looks so bad it's almost criminal and I don't imagine they'll be exemplifying that style anytime soon.

The helmets are a classic look that should never be replaced while the orange and white uniforms really just help this program look great. Nike is knee-deep into Pro-Combat and the Tigers should be a target after last season, but all signs point to that this sharp Clemson team will take a stand.    

Wisconsin

The Badgers are one of the most solid football programs in the Big Ten, silently playing their cards on the right years when Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa all are a little off. They also have been quite quiet on the uniform front as well. 

Watching Wisconsin match up against the insane-uniform crazed Ducks in the Rose Bowl really opened my eyes to how great the Badgers look on a consistent basis. Their one time of weakness back in the 1990's ended terribly, so don't be hoping for something new anytime soon.

Although I admit they did make a shoulder addition for the Rose Bowl, you can't really notice that it had never been there before. Wisconsin is sharp, clean-cut, and traditional and nobody is going to take that away from them.

Florida

The Gators are one of the most classic SEC teams in the conference, sporting the brilliant royal blue and orange for decades. Although Florida has filed away many styles over the course of many years, UF still remains extremely classic with their color scheme and design.

The only real "changes" we've seen the Gators make over the past few years have been some alternate orange jerseys once at home over the past two seasons along with a Pro-Combat throwback-style uniform for the 2009 Florida State rivalry matchup. Besides that, Florida is clean.

Under second-year head coach in Will Muschamp, I can't imagine UF going with anything new on the uniform side of things. He has enough to worry about already with games against South Carolina and Georgia. Making the classic royal blue jerseys, orange helmets with script "Gators" and white pants are the perfect attire for his team.  

Purdue

The Boilermakers are one of the many Big Ten teams on the this list who should never shy away from their bread and butter. Old gold and black is one of the best color schemes in college football, making for one solid looking uniform.

The helmets have been either black or gold over the years, but right now is sticking with the latter. The bold "P" stands out well along with the black stripe down the center. Never wearing anything but white or black jerseys with gold trim, seeing Purdue don an all-black attire is rare. Overall a conference classic that should never fall to fashion temptation, the Boilermakers will never look bad in these uniforms. 

Vanderbilt

The Commodores have long been considered to be the smartest SEC university, humbly holding down the fort at the bottom of the conference when it comes to football. Under new head coach James Franklin, however, that all may be changing.

What won't be changing anytime soon will be the uniforms. Sporting the classic gold helmets marked with the black star logo, Vandy already looks quite solid. Their white and black jerseys combined with the gold alternate all go well together, making the Commodores one of the simplest, yet best, uniforms in the nation.

Franklin may be a young, aspiring coach with a lot to prove, but so far we've seen no change and I can't imagine any coming sometime in the future. 

Cal

The Golden Bears have, similar to Arkansas, evolved slowly with the times. Adding some minuscule details to morph their uniforms into something more modern, Cal is one sharp team with a lot of history.

Their helmets have been the way it is now for a long time. The cursive "Cal" is a signature resemblance of the university and one of the most recognizable in the country. The Golden Bears also own three different colors of jerseys; one deep blue, one white, and the other an alternate gold. All three have been used on a consistent basis and have no need to change.

The pants, on the other hand, have emerged more quickly. The curved stripes on the sides are unique to Cal and is something that the program holds in high regard. Overall, a sharp team who has no intention on changing anytime soon.  

Texas A&M

The Aggies are arguably the most tradition-based university in the country, living off the spirit of Texas itself. The maroon and white has been worn since the inauguration of the program, making it a staple of A&M attire on the football field.

As the university makes its move into the SEC next season under new head coach Kevin Sumlin, many a fan are coming out in support of the idea of either changing the uniforms or adding an alternate design to the wardrobe. This helmet concept has actually been floating around the internet ever since bowl season came to a close, making its way through the vast Aggie network.

When it comes down to it, however, I just can't imagine Texas A&M without their classic logo, maroon and white uniforms, and storied traditions. Adidas will never be able to rip this classic away from Aggie land without a true standoff by the Kyle Field faithful. 

Iowa

The Hawkeyes are one of the only teams in the nation that are modeled after an NFL franchise, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The designer of the uniforms received permission from Pittsburgh in the 1970's back when the Steel Curtain and Terry Bradshaw were American icons, hoping that if Iowa dressed like champions, they'd play like them too.

Now, almost half a century later, the Hawkeyes still sport a similar design to their originals. The yellow stripe and logo on the helmet has never changed, only being removed a few times to symbolize mourning. Certainly a look that will never go out of style, Iowa has never (nor should) had any intention of mixing things up with their on-field attire.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are well-known on a global scale for one of the most perfect combinations of colors in the history of monotheism. The gold helmets is a trademark of this powerful program, recognized coast to coast for their stunning apparel.

Notre Dame will never change. When Adidas convinced them to add the bright green clover leaf to the headgear, not only did it look horrible, but every Catholic on this side of the Atlantic immediately screamed out in terror. While it's hard to call the fashion faux pas a "subtle change," the Irish quickly switched back to something more classic in what turned out to be one of the shortest lived phenomena in the sport.

Since the fiasco, I can't envision a scenario when Brian Kelly and the Irish ever want to change their uniforms again. Congratulations Catholics, things will never be different again, just as it should be. 

West Virginia

The Mountaineers' conference realignment to the Big 12 was certainly in their best interest considering the instability the Big East is facing. As I've said in a previous slide, many fans believe that new conference means new uniforms, but in this case, that should not happen.

West Virginia's helmet design has been around since the beginning of Reagan administration, making it more than a classic. The "Flying WV" is the only symbol of the Mountaineers that I've ever known and, in my opinion, should never be replaced. 

As for the jerseys, WVU has incorporated their two schools colors of old gold and deep blue into a slurry of well-designed uniforms. Six combinations to date, the evolution of their attire is relative to Arkansas' in which they've added modern fixtures but never done a full-out makeover.  

Boston College

The Eagles have sported their crimson and gold uniforms for a long time. Retaining the simplistic helmet design with no logo and only a single stripe along with not allowing any major changes to the jerseys, BC is a solid program.

Able to maintain everything through their ACC move back early in the century, Boston College has slowly but steadily still looked good but never broken tradition. Holding onto their old-fashioned designs has allowed them to secure that timeless look that every program desires.

Michigan

The Wolverines are arguably the most classic program in the nation. After falling off the map for a little while, Michigan has returned with a vengeance under new head coach Brady Hoke, taking home the Sugar Bowl in one of the best games of the postseason.

Their maize and blue uniforms are well-known across the country. What most people recognize immediately is the classic winged helmet design, highlighting both school colors with a deadly sweet style.

You may be thinking about what happened this past season when Michigan had a flashback to the olden days, allowing Adidas to set them up with some very retro uniforms. That, my friends, was such a subtle change that you can barely say that the overall design was different.

Now that the Wolverines have satisfied their taste for "back in the day," however, Michigan will once again sport the original design that has looked good for so long. Look forward to this classic Big Ten program to stick to their personalized style for a long time.  

Oklahoma

The Sooners have owned the crimson and cream of their uniforms since the birth of their university, creating one of the most successful programs in the nation. Their simple yet classic design has an aura unmatched by many a team in college football.

Oklahoma may be one of Nike's premiere clients, but mixing up a style that is nationally renown would be a bad pitch. The helmet has been the way it is now since the late 1960's while the jersey has pretty much remained the same since the mid-1980's.

A staple of what makes this program unique, don't expect OU to ever change their on-field attire.  

Nebraska

The Cornhuskers are one of few that literally hasn't changed their uniforms in over four decades. The helmet they wear now hasn't been altered since 1970, making it one of the oldest and most classic in the sport.

The jerseys and pants have had some mix-ups over the course of years, but Nebraska has always found its way back to what we all know and love. Adidas would be foolish to ever try to redesign this middle-American program as they would get one resounding response of "never in a million years."

The old-school "N" logo, single red stripe, and plain jerseys serve to symbolize the entire state, one of the most down-to-earth and hardworking in the country. 

USC

The Trojans are arguably the most storied college football program on their side of the Mississippi, sporting the cardinal and gold for ages. The only real change that's been made was the addition of shoulder stripes as much of the attire has been left alone.

USC's helmet has retained the image of the Trojan for generations, sticking to the deep blood red color for as long as I can remember. The jerseys have, over time, only restructured in the thick shoulder stripe in an attempt to add a little "something-something," but what has now just become a part of the entire ensemble.

Overall one of the best dressed in the sport, be watching for this program to make some major strides in their first season back from the bowl ban. 

Texas

The Longhorns are one of the few classic American college football brands. Their original burnt orange has dominated the football-crazed state since before the Great Depression after the students, faculty, and alumni all voted on using said color as their main basis in the sport.

After the Board of Regents declared that orange and white had won the voting, their head coach, Clyde Littlefield, ultimately had to order a darker shade due to the fact that a brighter orange would fade to an ugly yellow. The rest is history.

Since then, there have not been any real changes to Texas' jerseys. The helmets UT wears now has been the official style since the late 1970's, owning a simple yet extremely recognizable design. Although they would be a prime candidate for a Pro Combat makeover, I just can't see this program dropping to that level after watching Ohio State, Stanford, and LSU do just that. 

Penn State

The Nittany Lions are literally my definition of simplicity. Sporting navy blue and white since 1890, Penn State has never even considered altering their extremely classic design and just suggesting they will is blasphemy up in Happy Valley.

PSU has never worn anything but white pants, blue home or white away jerseys, and their white helmet with the classic blue stripe. It is only just within the past 15 years that the Nittany Lions even allowed bowl logos placed on their uniforms, something that was a surprise to the entire college football community.

The plain font for the numbering and lack of a names on the back of the jerseys is a pure staple of what makes Penn State arguably the most traditionally fashionable program in the nation.   

Alabama

The Crimson Tide should not and will never change their on-field attire. As the defending champions, this more boils down to superstition more than many will ever admit, but when it comes to pure style combined with simplicity, the award goes to 'Bama.

A timeless classic that has slowly evolved into what it is now, Alabama has owned their current design since 1985. With every player's unique number inscribed on their helmets, the Tide's easily identifiable headgear is the standard for class and stature in the college football world.

The jerseys are some of the simplest in the nation, yet they haven't always been that way. Shoulder stripes and numbers have been ground out of the design over the years while even an inverted helmet slowly fell off the map. Nike will also target Alabama, like Texas and Penn State, for a full-out makeover but the Crimson Tide have every means to roll on without new uniforms.