Top 10 Nike Uniforms in College Football
What name is the most prominent in college football right now? Some might say defending national champion Alabama. Others may say Jim Harbaugh. People will also argue for players such as Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey or Deshaun Watson.
But the real answer might be Nike.
According to Zach Barnett of Football Scoop, Nike entered 2015 with contracts for 68 of the 128 FBS schools in college football—a little more than half. That's more than twice as many as the second-biggest brand, Adidas. And the apparel giant is always looking to add more, as Michigan will be the first college football program to be outfitted with Nike's Jordan brand later this year.
Nike is the king of college football uniforms, and it has some of the most unique and innovative designs in the country. Every season, dozens of programs get tweaks, alternates or brand-new base uniforms from Nike.
As we're in the doldrums of the offseason, let's take a look at the 10 best uniforms from Nike in college football. Keep in mind that this ultimately comes down to the opinion of one writer, and everyone has their own personal taste for what they like in a uniform. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that includes college football unis.
Shout out your favorite Nike threads in the world of college football in the comments below.
Honorable Mentions
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Limiting Nike's 68 teams worth of college football uniforms down to just a top 10 was tough. So here are the 10 that just missed the cut, along with a look at their single-best look.
10. Michigan State
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Michigan State received a fresh coat of paint from Nike last season, and it came at the perfect time for the eventual Big Ten champion. The simple dark green and white create a fantastic contrast, and the Spartans even received one of the most unique alternates around in the update.
The Spartans' new metallic finishes on their green helmets worked well and worked well with the whole warrior influence of the design. The new lettering and numbering styles were sharp, and there isn't a bad combination among the green-and-white jerseys and pants.
Michigan State also rolled out an alternate uniform that was inspired by bronze shields that real Spartans used to use and the phalanx battle formation. The bronze helmet and accents went surprisingly well with the green and white, and the entire set was a hit in Michigan State's home victory over Oregon.
Nike's stylings for Michigan State are simple, clean and sensible for a team that is known for traditional, grind-it-out football. They maintain a classic feel while still appealing to younger recruits and fans.
9. Texas
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Texas football always finds a way to stand out. The Longhorns are one of the biggest names in the sport, no matter their record, and they're constantly in the spotlight. In terms of uniforms, Texas has maintained a traditional look that pops without being plain.
Burnt orange is Texas' calling card, as no other FBS program has a main color quite like it. The Longhorns pair that famous shade with a simple white, and the results are great. The Longhorn logo shines off the white lid, the "TEXAS" word mark across the middle is appealing and the simple sleeve stripes tie it all together.
Whenever Texas hits the road with its all-white "Stormtrooper" set, it's one of the best around. Several teams in college football go all-white—and more are joining in with new alternates these days—but Texas' set is tops in that category.
Texas rarely changes things up outside of a throwback helmet decal every now and then, and it wouldn't hurt to try something new in the future. However, on its own, the classic Longhorn uniform is one of Nike's best.
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8. Ohio State
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Like Texas, Ohio State's uniforms are iconic. The Buckeye stickers on the sparkling gray helmets are stunning, and the scarlet matches perfectly from top to bottom.
But what separates Ohio State from other traditional powerhouses is that the Buckeyes aren't afraid to experiment with what Nike offers them. In the last several seasons, Ohio State has debuted throwback uniforms that still look sleek and modern, with the latest one leaked just a few weeks ago.
Last season, Ohio State ditched the scarlet and grey uniform pieces altogether for one night, when it took the field in an all-black look. While "black for black's sake" isn't a popular move among uniform critics, this particular uniform was a welcome one-off change for OSU.
Some Ohio State tweaks in the last several years have been much better than others, but the Buckeyes should be applauded for their willingness to try new things while still keeping a sense of tradition. It certainly has had an effect on the excellent recruiting in Columbus, Ohio.
7. TCU
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As a former mid-major that has broken through to the ranks of the big boys in college football, TCU's looks from Nike over the years have pushed the envelope of design innovation. The Horned Frogs' latest sets of uniforms are quite sharp with unique combinations of purple, black and white.
Last season, TCU debuted a new "frog skin" uniform set that received mixed reviews. In the eyes of this writer, the pattern worked well on the purple-and-white uniforms, but the gray didn't quite come off as well. However, as a whole, the uniforms were welcome updates.
The Horned Frogs also went with some sleek black uniforms throughout the season, and their white helmet with a bright purple face mask and accents—shown above—is an all-time great design. TCU goes back and forth between matte and shiny helmet finishes, and they're both hits with the iconic purple.
TCU might have had a couple of missteps with its uniform choices along the way, but the sets it rocks right now are mostly fantastic. They're the perfect looks for a modern-minded program that is one of the new-school powers in college football.
6. Missouri
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Missouri had some classic, if not a little boring, uniforms before Nike hit the reset button on them prior to the program's first season in the SEC. Over the last several years, Mizzou has had plenty of eye-catching combinations that take full advantage of its black-and-gold color scheme.
The Tigers' helmets have featured both the classic tiger oval logo with sharp tiger stripes down the middle and an oversized, one-color tiger head that resembles Boise State's bronco design. The move to more of a yellow-like gold really makes these uniforms pop, and Mizzou has had some successful experiments with the anthracite color as well.
Last season, for a neutral-site game against BYU, Missouri broke out an all-white uniform that was incredibly clean. The top-to-bottom white with the black accents worked to perfection, and it was one of the best new looks of 2015.
Missouri's changes were bold in 2012—just like its move to the SEC from the Big 12—and they've turned out to be aesthetic successes. Maybe the Tigers' success will convince some programs with stale uniforms to liven things up a bit.
5. San Diego State
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San Diego State is far from a household name in the world of college football, but the uniforms the Aztecs unveiled last offseason made them a popular topic among fans throughout the country.
The Aztecs went with a bold new uniform style based on the ancient Aztec calendar. The pattern is extremely detailed on both the shiny red helmet and the jersey-sleeve caps, and it matches well with SDSU's classic black jersey and black pants combination.
The calendar design even worked to perfection on the white road jerseys, with the large "San Diego State" lettering catching the eyes well. Some teams, especially those in the smaller conferences, try to go too over-the-top with a unique style in order to grab attention.
That's not the case with San Diego State. The Aztecs have a unique look now that fits perfectly with their nickname, and it automatically vaulted them toward the top of the best uniforms in the game today.
4. Florida State
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Florida State received a brand refresh from Nike a couple of seasons ago, putting a fresh coat of paint on the Seminoles' classic look. It was the ideal blend of modern uniform design and classic features—even though it might have taken some getting used to by longtime FSU fans.
The Seminoles' famous helmet might have received the best upgrade in the set, as the new gold finish looked great on the updated arrow design that now crossed in the back. The Nike update also ensured all the golds now matched, from the helmet to the pants to the new Seminole-inspired pattern on the jersey sleeves.
FSU also unveiled a new black uniform that officially debuted last season in a game against Chattanooga. The helmet has a garnet-to-black fade with a sweet black and gold arrow design, and the jersey was a hit with both players and recruits.
3. North Carolina
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After several years of a uniform set that featured thick helmet stripes and way too much of the color black for a school that traditionally didn't wear it, North Carolina got updated threads from Nike last season, and they were instant hits.
North Carolina took out the black from its main sets and went back to the tried and true "Carolina blue" and white with navy blue accents. The striping on the helmet, collar and pants went to an argyle pattern made famous by UNC's basketball program. The argyle turned out to look just as good on the gridiron as it did on the hardwood.
Even when the Tar Heels busted out a black alternate later in the season, the argyle made it look so much better. It was a look that was clean and made sense for a school long tied to a historic style with its sports teams.
The Tar Heels' switch to an updated uniform set coincided perfectly with one of their best seasons in school history, as they nearly crashed the College Football Playoff with an 11-1 regular-season record and a close loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. Look better, play better.
2. Tennessee
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Tennessee made the move to Nike last season from Adidas, and it turned out to be one of the best stylistic changes for a college football program in years.
The Volunteers' famous orange seemed to pop more with the Nike threads, contrasting perfectly with the clean white helmets and pants. Nike also made the special touch of adding a checkerboard pattern to the bottom section of the helmet and pant stripes. The homage to the Neyland Stadium end zone art was perfect.
Tennessee also unveiled one of the most talked-about alternate uniforms in its first season with Nike—the "Smoky Gray" set against Georgia. The look, which was inspired by the Great Smoky Mountains near Rocky Top, had a mountain pattern in the helmet and a brilliant contrast between the bright orange and the dark gray.
The Vols' new uniforms from Nike had simple and unique symbols to their traditions and their state. The orange looked better after the switch, and now Tennessee has some of the cleanest and best all-around uniforms in college football.
1. Oregon
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The poster child for Nike's influence on college football takes the top spot on this list. Oregon's uniforms draw the most polarizing reactions from fans, and many traditionalists are outspoken with their disdain for them.
But no college football program is as closely tied to what it wears as Oregon, and the innovation from Nike—whose current chairman, Phil Knight, has given millions and millions to the athletic department—has helped the Ducks become more of a power on the national recruiting trail.
Oregon even has a uniform tracker that includes detailed shots of the unique uniforms the team wears each week. Last year, the Ducks experimented more with a brighter "apple" green rather than their traditional dark green. Those updated "Fighting Ducks" uniforms, which featured a cartoon duck head on the helmet, were among the best in college football for 2015.
Whether Oregon goes with a green-and-yellow combination or mixes and matches with neutral colors, it has an eye-catching uniform that draws a ton of attention. The Ducks can be bright without being too gaudy and detailed without being too busy. And that's why they're No. 1 for threads.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
