16 Programs That Desperately Need a Nike Pro Combat or Under Armour Makeover

Look, to the best of my knowledge, nobody here at B/R is claiming to be any sort of fashionista.

(Deduct credibility points for using "fashionista" in an article about football.)

As a matter of fact, if I make it out of the house wearing a pair of pants in the morning, I am doing well.

But, somebody has to say it.

These uniforms need some help.

This list runs down the programs that could use some changes with their current look.

Whether you love or hate Boise State and Oregon, their new look uniforms are sharp, and the squads listed could use some of the same fresh, innovative ideas.

On this list, you will not find simple classics such as UCLA, Alabama or Penn State.

They are untouchable and should never change, but there are a few "classics" that are just crying for attention.

Sure, you say it doesn't really matter what your team wears to play ball, but we all know that you check every year for new, aesthetically pleasing ideas that you submit to your school under an assumed name...

16. Pitt Panthers

This is a classic look, I know, but seriously, get some imagination.

How about a Panther appearing somewhere in the scheme?

Or even an homage to coach extrordanaire, Dave Wannstedt with a mustache prominent in the display?

The colors work, and it's not that this one is bad, but a remake would not be a bad thing, especially with a new head coach and scheme...

15. Nebraska Cornhuskers

It's not the uniforms as much as it is the helmets.

The uniforms are sharp, if not modern, but those helmets are ghastly.

Yeah, yeah, tradition and all that, but at some point, traditions die.

And the time for these helmets may be now.

I know it's difficult to create a credible logo focused on a Cornhusker, but that "N' needs some help.

You could even stick with the letter on the helmet and incorporate a picture of Tom Osborne or something...

14. Maryland Terrapins

Not too much argument here with the jerseys themselves, they could use a tune-up, but they aren't awful.

As for the helmets...they need help.

What's with the cursive?

Is this football or prep school?

Your mascot is a turtle, which is not exactly intimidating and may be tough to work with, but surely you can do better than that script.

Why not throw Testudo on the helmet? At least it would be more visually agreeable.

13. LSU Tigers

I can hear the outcry from Baton Rouge, but these colors are somewhat disturbing.

The yellow is ugly, the shade could be changed a little bit to make it more amenable to actual viewing.

The purple and gold scheme is nice, and other than the aforementioned yellow, works.

However, what is with the helmets?

The font looks amateurish, and the Tiger is indiscernable unless you are within five yards of the player.

Larger letters incorporated with the LSU anyone?

12. Clemson Tigers

Clemson is one of the most underrated college towns.

That place is absolutely rockin' on gameday, and the surrounding country is beautiful.

Apparently, they Tigers decided to make up for this beauty with atrociously ugly uniforms.

Purple and black works, as does purple and green or even purple and white.

But to pair purple with orange is an inexplicable fashion faux pas.

The uniform in the picture is the best of the bunch and passes muster.

The helmets are good, but stick with the solid white or solid purple with orange trim, please. And spare us the eyesore that is the orange uniforms...

11. Stanford Cardinal

What is with the Cardinal?

The uniform is not awful, but could use an upgrade.

Maybe if the team had a decent mascot, they could come up with a little better scheme for the uniforms.

They just seem somewhat plain.

The black uniforms are awesome, but maybe incorporate some black into the regular scheme as trim or something of that nature...

10. Baylor Bears

The color scheme is nice, the green and gold is eye-pleasing.

But can we get a little more variety?

Some people like the plain, block letters and simple color schemes.

Let's get flamboyant and design a helmet logo with a bear standing over a supine Longhorn, or maybe even bear in a threatening pose on the side.

The interlocked "BU" is simply too plain.

9. Virginia Cavaliers

The color scheme is nice, and the "V" over the crossed sabers is sharp.

However, that orange brings to mind visions of traffic cones.

It's glaringly painful for the eyes, and it's easy to see why they aren't exactly on television every week.

Of course, their mediocre play of late may have something to do with that as well...

8. Kansas Jayhawks

Probably one of the most patriotic schemes in the country, but what does it have to do with a jayhawk?

If my memory is serving me correctly, weren't they rebel symmpathizers that raided northern sympathizers during the Civil War?

Is the red, white and blue some sort of penance?

The font on the numbers seems cartoonish, and the scheme overall just needs an overhaul.

The colors could remain the same, but those numbers have got to change...

7. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers is heading back to the relative football obscurity which they have enjoyed for several decades after a few seasons of prominence.

At least give your fans something to look at.

The red is not that good-looking, and the uniforms are just boring.

The helmet is OK, but could use some help in a remake.

Possibly keeping the "R" intertwined with a knight?

6. Wisconsin Badgers

There is something to be said for simplicity, but the Badgers and their "W" take it to the next level.

I propose a mural across the back of the helmet featuring a Great Dane, a Badger eating a Buckeye and Barry Alvarez wearing aviators.

OK, that might be a little ambitious and too busy, but what's wrong with going from one extreme to another?

Also, get rid of the solid red jerseys, and lose the stripes on the side of the pants. You are not Indiana, and why would you want to look like them?

5. Tennessee Volunteers

Once again with the orange.

The white tops and orange pants aren't that bad, but the "T" on the helmet seems too generic for such a  storied program.

The Vols have not exactly been dominant in the past few seasons and could possibly use the new look as a springborad to a new era of Tennessee football.

My vote would be for Smokey on the helmets...

4. Indiana Hoosiers

The basketball uniforms are one of the classics that should never be changed.

Football is a whole different ball game.

An update is needed, and desperately.

First, let's get a mascot that somebody can explain.

A Hoosier has been identified as anything large, somebody who likes booze, cotton pickers, rough people and natives of Indiana.

Let's assume the last definition is the working one here.

Maybe a famous Hoosier?

Something more specific?

The IU has to go, and the unis could use a makeover...

3. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky needs to do something with these uniforms to spice them up.

The colors are great, if somewhat pedestrian, but the scheme is blah at best.

Yes, it works for the basketball team, because their unis are classic.

However, the football team does not have that luxury.

The team is just plain bad.

Maybe you could work something out with Nike featuring an actual Wildcat or something.

2. Ole Miss Rebels

No problems with the actual unis here, except a possible update.

Those guys at Nike and Under Armour are pretty creative.

But the font on that helmet is ridiculous.

What is with the cursive?

You cannot read it from any reasonable distance.

The concept is great with "Ole Miss" in bold on the lids, but in cursive? Really?

Is there something these programs don't understand about football supposedly being a tough game?

1. Wake Forest

Really?

You come up with one of the most creative, eccentric mascots in the country, and this is the best you can do for unis?

The "WF," while clean and sharp, leaves a little bit lacking.

If you could replace the one on the uniforms or the one on the helmet with a mascot or something even remotely interesting, these uniforms would be nice.

They way they are right now, they definitely fit with a bad football team.