Category: Uniforms

The 5 Best Iowa Hawkeyes Football Uniforms of All Time

We look at the 5 Best Iowa Hawkeyes Football Uniforms of all time, including throwbacks, alternates, classics and more.

Some people (actually, many people) find the Iowa Hawkeye Football Uniforms boring. Most say they are a rip off of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But, here at CFB Select, we pride ourselves in enjoying the best of EVERYTHING college football – and that includes these black and gold classic. Below we look at some of the best Hawkeye Football uniforms of all time.

#5 2017 Blackout Uniforms

2017 Iowa Football Blackout Uniforms
2017 Iowa Football Blackout Uniforms

Ohio State fans, look away. These blackout uniforms were used for the 2017 Night Game at Kinnick, in which the unranked Hawkeyes beat down #5 Ohio State 55-24. Never invade Russia in the Winter, and never play Iowa in Kinnick at night. The grauy details on the helmet really make the Iowa gold pop, and give the Hawkeyes an almost futuristic look.

#4 2019 Gold Alternates

Iowa Hawkeyes Gold Alternate Jerseys
2019 Iowa Football Gold Jerseys

Some disliked these bright gold uniforms, but you can’t deny they made a statement. These iconic uniforms paid homage to Iowa’s “banana peel” uniforms of yesteryear. Perhaps these vibrant uniforms are most remembered for the live eagle featured in the announcement photo shoot.

Iowa Football Hawk Photo Shoot
Iowa Football’s Hawk Photo Shoot

#3 1939 “Ironmen”

Colorized footage of the 1
Colorized footage of the 1939 Iowa Football team, featuring Nile Kinnick

Alright, you can’t complain about the quality of the photo when this game happened over 80 years ago. Perhaps the Iowa “Ironmen” team was best known for quarterback Nike Kinnick, who literally won every major award in the country. But, we also remember this team for a uniform that made them literally look like men of steel, striking fear in even the burliest men of the ’30s.

#2 1977 Script Iowa Helmets

1977 Cy-Hawk football: Iowa beats ISU in 1st game of rekindled rivalry
The 1977 Iowa Football Uniforms, featuring the Script Iowa Helmet

The helmet definitely carries these uniforms. Iowa didn’t do amazingly well this season, which was perhaps the reason for ditching the short lived script logo. This is certainly a shame, as this logo would be one of the best script logos in college football. Bring it back as an alternate!

The 1977 Iowa Football Script Helmets
The 1977 Iowa Football Script Helmets

#1 2010 “Evy Era” 1958 Throwbacks

1958 Iowa Football Throwback Uniforms
1958 Iowa Football Throwback Uniforms

Simple is often better with football uniforms – the 2010 Evy Era Iowa Throwbacks are a perfect example of this. These uniforms feature bold numbers on both the helmet and chest, and crisp gold pants with a single black stripe that make the gold helmet pop even more, and the perfect absence of that pesky Hawkeye logo. Not only are these uniforms absolute classics that I wouldn’t mind becoming Iowa’s home uniform, they hearken back to the most successful era of Iowa Football. Iowa won the Big Ten, the Rose Bowl and ended the season ranked No. 1 in 1958. Though these uniforms appear simple at first, they would instantly become one of the most iconic uniforms in college football if made permanent.

Which uniforms do you want us to rank next? Let us know in the replies.

College Football Week One: Top CFB Stories

Here’s this week’s top college football news. We’ll post the top CFB headlines and happenings in this format at the start of the work week.

The Big 12’s Expansion Choices Are Submitting Their Official Applications

Cincinnati Houston BYU UCF Big 12
Cincinnati vs UCF 2020. Both are Big 12 Expansion Selections.

Both Cincinnati and UCF have confirmed submitted their applications to join the Big XII. It is expected that the other two rumored expansion selections, BYU and Houston, will also submit theirs by the end of the week. Additional rumors suggest that the new members could be approved as soon as the weekend. BYU would be able to join as early as next year due to being an independent, but the other three schools would have to complete negotiations with the American conference as they are under contract through 2025.

Michigan State Football Players to Receive $500 Stipend from United Wholesale Mortgage

Michigan State Football NLI $500 Stipend United Wholesale Mortgage
Michigan State Football players celebrate a win vs Nothwestern

We’ve seen some wild Name, Image and Likeness (NLI) contracts now that players are allowed to receive money for their brands. But, in a wild new deal, every Michigan State football player will now receive a $500 monthly stipend (including during the offseason) from United Wholesale Mortgage, owned by an MSU alum. Who wouldn’t want to play for that kind of deal? We expect to see more of the biggest NLI deals come from P5 teams in the coming months.

Iowa State to Wear Black Uniforms vs Iowa

Iowa State White/Black/White Uniforms vs Iowa
Iowa State in the White/Black/White Uniforms they’ll wear vs Iowa

Normally a uniform announcement wouldn’t make our top headlines, but this reveal has stirred up the bad blood between Cyclones and Hawks. The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of a few schools to use black as a primary color, and they have a history of getting ticked off when other schools wear black jerseys against them for this reason. So, having their biggest rival in the Iowa State Cyclones wearing all black has made some Hawkeyes blood boil. We’ll see it settled on the field this weekend in the first Top 25 match up (and both Top 10 nonetheless) of the CyHawk rivalry.

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Preseason CFB Uniform Round Up

The “Uniform Round Up” is a new series on our site. In these posts, we’ll show you some of the best college football uniforms teams have released. These will often be alternate uniforms, but we may do historical uniform recaps as well. If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that CFB uniforms are one of the coolest aspects of the sport, and a huge part in each school’s identity. Without further ado, here’s our favorites for the last week.

Kansas “Hail To Old KU” Homecoming Uniforms

Kansas Football Alternate Homecoming Uniforms
Kansas Football Alternate Homecoming Uniforms

These confirms hearken back to the days when Gale Sayers was still torching opponents’ defenses, a player fittingly known as the “Kansas Comet”. The light blue tops and dark blue helmets create a striking contrast while still looking traditional (especially thanks to the number style). Throwback “bowtie Kansas” and retro Jayhawk logos also adorn the fantastic uniform. This is one of the coolest CFB uniforms we’ve seen announced for the upcoming season.

Louisville “All Red” Uniforms

Louisville All Red Alternate Uniforms
Louisville All Red Alternate Uniforms

The “Color Rush” style of uniform is often tried, and while the simplicity always creates a pleasingly bold image on the field, few schools have hit the mark quite like this. These all red Louisville uniforms are one of the crispest single color uniforms we’ve seen, up there with the all black Iowa State uniforms that won our best CFB uniform competition in 2019 (back when we were Grid Lines Blog). The black shadow on the numbers and matte red helmets complete the look – will we see a red rush across the field that brings back memories of Lamar Jackson?

NC State “Light It Up Red” Uniforms

NC State Brick Clocktower Alternate Uniforms
NC State Brick Belltower Alternate Uniforms

Tuffy is one of the coolest mascots in sports. The only thing better – retro Tuffy. Not only do the”Light It Up Red” Uniforms give us exactly that on a really neat brick wall helmet (three little pigs vibes, anyone?), they also bring the contrast of bright red numbers standing out on a black pinstripe background. These uniforms pay homage to Memorial Belltower on NC State’s campus, which is lit up red for the university’s biggest achievements and occasions (as well as for holidays honoring veterans). A very cool uniform for a very cool tradition – after all, aren’t traditions what college football is all about?

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Restore 44

By Kenny Van Doren, @SidelinesCuse

   

The personal and sentimental reasons behind a number might be silly to some, but an athlete’s number means more than anything. It all comes from a “look good, play good” mentality, or it comes from tradition. Players these days idolize their heroes; LeBron wears 23 because of Jordan, many MLB shortstops wear number 2 because of Jeter, etc. For Syracuse University, the number 44 was given to the starting running back for a 14 year stretch. College football legends Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little wore this number. 44 is the most historic and connected number to any college football program ever, and the Syracuse football program should bring this number back.

Tradition is what makes college football, college football. Penn State has their white out game at Happy Valley, the state of Alabama has the Iron Bowl, Mississippi the Egg Bowl, etc. Rivalries, uniforms, and numbers are exactly the kind of tradition that needs to be kept alive in college football. For the Syracuse Orange, the number 44 was first worn in 1921. Here is a list of all who wore 44:

Gifford Zimmerman, halfback, 1921

Charles Roberts, halfback, 1924

Clarence Taylor, quarterback, 1925

Don Baldwin, wide receiver, 1926

Richard Fishel, halfback, 1932

Henry Merz, quarterback, 1933

Hamilton Watt, wide receiver, 1934

Francis Mullins, halfback, 1935-36

Stanley Sanislay, wide receiver, 1937

Benjamin DeYoung, wide receiver, 1938

Francis Mazejko, guard, 1939

Richard Ransom, tackle, 1940

J. O’Brien, tackle, 1945

Robert Eberling, running back, 1952

Jim Brown, running back, 1954-56

Thomas Stephens, halfback, 1957-58

Ernie Davis, halfback, 1959-61

William Schoonover, halfback, 1962-63

Floyd Little, running back, 1964-66

Richard Panczyszyn, quarterback, 1967-69

Mandel Robinson, running back, 1977

Glen Moore, running back, 1981-82

Michael Owens, running back, 1987-89

Terry Richardson, running back, 1990-93

Rob Konrad, fullback, 1995-98

    The number is rooted in a deep history of All-Americans, NFL players, and two NFL Hall of Famers. It even has its ties to the basketball team with greats Danny Schayes, Derrick Coleman, and John Wallace wearing it. Wallace was the last to suit up in the towering 4s, even though the program retired his number earlier this year. Many fans wanted another big man to bear 44, such as the late, great Fab Melo. 

    One argument about bringing back 44 is if players can live up to the greatness that comes with the number. We may never see a Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, or Floyd Little ever again in blue and orange, but the 44 Foundation was made to honor and keep the spirit alive. Sure, they may not leave the same impact, but traditions are essential to college sports. 

44 should make its way back to the field for the Orange, and it does not even have to be the running back. Give the number to the captain of the team. Texas A&M finds a player to wear their beloved 12 each season that displays the highest level of leadership, and Syracuse should do the same. The number 44 is so sentimental to the University in many ways, so why not bring it back? Make it a number of honor and give it to the leader or hardest working player. With a number so heavily tied to some of the greatest college athletes in the 20th century, it would be an honor for any Syracuse football player to wear. Leave it up to Brown and Little, and see if they want their number to be on the backs of the future.

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The Largest Apparel Deal in CFB – and Which One Will Be Next

The largest apparel deal in CFB is not with a playoff team. In fact, it’s not even with a Top 25 team. Perhaps even more surprising, the company writing the check isn’t Nike.

Image result for ucla under armour

Image Courtesy 247 Sports

In May 2016, Under Armour inked a 15 year, $280 million deal with UCLA to be their official shoe and apparel sponsor. This is the largest such deal in the history of college athletics.

For Under Armour, it was just another move in the imperialist game of athletic apparel brands. While Nike has claimed most of the lucrative brands like Ohio State and Texas, Under Armour planted a flag in the second largest TV market in the country.

The largest brand Under Armour has under its belt is arguably still Notre Dame, but the addition of UCLA expands their growing foothold to the West Coast – right in the heart of Nike Territory.

For UCLA, it’s more than just money – of course, it *is* an unimaginably large amount of money. But this contract identified them as one of the most valuable brands in athletics. By market value alone, they now stand shoulder to shoulder with the Alabama’s and Michigan’s of CFB. With a coach like Chip Kelly, who carries attention with him wherever he goes even if his teams haven’t performed as of late, eyes will be on UCLA every preseason.

Image result for chip kelly under armour

This is huge for recruiting as well. A recruit going to UCLA knows media attention will be on them, as well as millions of dollars for facility improvements and equipment.

The Under Armour – UCLA deal was done 4 years ago. A lot has changed in CFB, but a lot has stayed the same too – mainly, money is still king. So, which deal will beat UCLA’s?

The first thing to think about is obviously the team itself. Better performing teams will always bring more money, but as Texas has shown, fan following and brand power matter far more. This leaves a pretty short list of teams that could be expected to make a landmark deal, and it’s pretty similar to the list of teams that have a chance of making the CFB playoff every year: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, UGA, OU, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, Nebraska, Oregon, Florida, Florida State, Texas, Texas A&M, USC. We can immediately cross off a few – Oregon will never need a payout to stick with Nike, and Clemson and Florida State just don’t have the size of fan base or brand power to milk that large of a contract.

The second thing to look for is geography and market; this is arguably the main reason why UCLA has the largest apparel deal right now. There are no New York teams worth paying a super contract too. Chicago is tied to Notre Dame, a good candidate for the largest contract (they currently have the fifth largest, also with Under Armour). LA could be snatched up on the other end by paying out to USC.

Finally, you have to look at the companies themselves. What are Nike’s goals? They have the most money – which battles are they going to choose to fight? Nike already runs the west coast, and I don’t think they are interested in stealing Notre Dame from Under Armour. Adidas is also a major player we haven’t discussed much thus far – their cash cow is Texas A&M, who they gave the most lucrative deal in the SEC. They actually held the UCLA deal before Under Armour took it. SEC deals are huge for a brand, and a few contracts there are expiring soon.

Image result for nike press conference

Taking all of this into account, it seems likely the next biggest contract will go to a team that is already a massive brand, probably to rip them away from another apparel company. It will likely be Nike, since them and Under Armour have been the biggest spenders but Under Armour has faced extreme financial difficulties recently as they stand on the line of bankruptcy. I would guess Nike might try to rip a big brand away from another company. Maybe Texas A&M away from Adidas, although they already have Texas in that region.

Who do you think will be the next shoe and apparel super deal in CFB? Let us know on Twitter @Sidelines_SN!

Grid Lines Blog #UniformOfTheYear

The votes are in, and your Grid Lines Blog #UniformOfTheYear for 2018 is the Iowa State Cyclones All Black uniforms.

These uniforms were announced on July 10, 2018, along with two other base uniforms. These new combos removed the stripes from previous uniforms, instituted a new number style with cyclone-esque curls, and added the words “Loyal, Forever, True” onto the collar.

These uniforms were worn in a Week 7 upset of the #6 West Virginia Mountaineers and a 42-38 victory over Kansas State. Both games were at night, which was likely the motivation for bringing out these blackout uniforms.

This also fit within Iowa State’s season mantra, “Win In The Dark.” The inspiration for this motto was that the best victories sometimes happen when no one is looking – hence, the Cyclone’s would “Win In The Dark.” In fact, this mantra itself may have been the motivation for these all black uniforms being added to the rotation.

iowa state 1.jpg

What makes these uniforms so special is their simplicity. Rather than an over the top look, Iowa State implemented crisp lettering, matte helmets, and subtle gray accents rather than color. The dark colors resemble a powerful and foreboding storm, matching the Cyclone’s brand. The West Virginia upset certainly emphasized the impact of this look.

iowa state 3.jpg

The new numbering really shines on these uniforms as well. The curves in the numbers introduce more tornado imagery without over-complicating the design.

After going undefeated in these uniforms and receiving near universal acclaim for them, I’m sure Iowa State will keep them in the equipment room. A well-deserved #UniformOfTheYear title.

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Super Bowl 53 Uniform Preview

It’s that time of year: College Football has wrapped up, and thus fans turn their eyes to the NFL Playoffs. This year’s games were packed with both action and controversy, but the biggest game is still left to play. The New England Patriots, perennial contender and league super villain, will be facing the surging Los Angeles Rams. Who do we think will win? That’s for another post. Let’s dive into these uniforms.

New England Patriots – Silver/White/Blues

brady.jpg

The Silver/White/Blue combo was introduced with the new uniform set in the late 90’s, although you could argue it was an entirely different uniform by design. The Patriots have worn this look in quite a few Super Bowls before – XXXIX, XLIX, LI, and LII – and had won every time they wore them until last year. Still, that’s a 75% winning pct. The Pats will keep the look.

Thoughts: Even with the loss, Pats have a legacy of winning in these, and there a good, crisp look (especially the dark blue, red outlined numbers against the white background). These will be just fine.

Los Angeles Rams – Dark Blue/Royal Blue/Gold

rams.jpg

No doubt about it – this has to be the best uniform combination in the NFL. I was so glad to see this brought back when the Rams moved to LA, and I’m glad it wasn’t just a one off appearance. Rams wearing it in the Super Bowl is a great homage to both the classic history and new traditions of the franchise in LA.

The Rams first introduced the classic blue and gold in their second season (they had first adopted the colors of the nearby Fordham Rams, when they were still in Cleveland). However, they did not add the gold horns to the helmet until 1948. Half Back and art graduate Fred Gehrke painted the horns on his helmet with permission from Coach Bob Snyder and owner Dan Reeves. People liked it so much, he painted the horns on the rest of the team’s helmets.

You may notice the current helmets are a darker color than the jerseys. This isn’t a mistake: this uniform combination is technically a throwback (even though it has been in the Rams regular rotation), and the old Rams jerseys did have a darker helmet.

Image result for old la rams

Thoughts: This bold combination is not only my favorite in the NFL, but will look fantastic against the Patriot’s white background. The uniform not only looks great, but means a lot, with this being the Rams first Super Bowl appearance since the return to LA. If only the Eagle’s had worn throwback Kelly Green’s in the Super Bowl last year.

Overall, this is a great looking Super Bowl, with a crisp silver/white top for the Patriot’s complimenting the beautiful design of the LA Rams throwbacks.

As far as a game prediction? Who knows. Hopefully it’s as good of a show as the uniforms.

Looking for another championship game uniform breakdown? Check out our guide on Villanova vs. Michigan, here:

Best Helmets of the CFB Season So Far:

Football is about a lot of things. Teamwork. Strength. Strategy. But one thing is more important than all: cool helmets. That’s right. It’s great when we see a flashy one handed catch, or a 99-yard kick return, but we all know the reason we tune in every Saturday is to see some dope domes, right?

Okay, maybe not, but we’re still going to make a list of our favorites anyway.

4. Florida State

Image Courtesy of @safid_deen on Twitter

Although the teams performance may not have been as spectacular, these helmets shone during the Seminole’s Monday night match up against Virginia Tech. Or, didn’t shine, because they were matte black. Huge props to the equipment crew; the garnet/black gradient on the helmet was just perfect. These lids capped off a slick black uniform that I was a huge fan of, although many FSU fans believed it cursed the team.

Image result for florida state virginia tech football

3. Duke

Image result for duke army football script helmet

 

Image Courtesy of bleacherreport.com

Duke brought back the script helmets that have been featured against UNC and against NIU in the Quick Lane bowl. I can’t get enough of them – in fact I’d be happy if Duke switched to this look full time. After all, Duke used this look from 1978-2003. The chrome lettering looked especially great against the all blue base of the uniform.

2. Hawaii

Image result for hawaii colorado state

Image Courtesy of sbnation.com

Hurricane Lane devastated the Hawaiian islands prior to their first match up against Colorado State, leaving many without power or worse. Hawaii turned this into a rallying cry and paid homage with these beautiful island decals on a black base helmet. Not only did these lids carry significant meaning for the players and their people, but they looked incredible. Even better, Hawaii won the game in a major upset – and haven’t lost since.

1. Tulane

Image Courtesy of @uniswag on Twitter

No other equipment team stood a chance when these bad boys were released. C’mon, what’s not to love about Angry Wave? Tulane has sported similar helmets before, but this was the first with the light blue face mask which really makes the accents on Angry Wave pop. Plus, these domes went with a beautiful blue uniform for the Green Wave.

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Image Courtesy of AmericanAthleticConf on YouTube

Will anyone be able to beat Tulane’s helmet this season? Is there another team that should’ve made this list? Let us know in the comments below!