College football uniforms have gotten wilder and wilder for years. Back in 2010, Nike’s Pro Combat uniforms became a popular trend, and teams like Oregon became known for wearing different unis every week.
Oregon’s had a billion color combos, ones that sometimes drastically strayed away from traditional school colors. There were some that were mostly gray with hints of black and neon yellow, and some mostly yellow with black helmets. There was a blue-and-gold combo that read "Webfoots" on the chest, and ones that resembled actual ducks. They wore Lewis and Clark-themed jerseys in 2015.
Even Oregon fans started to agree it was all a bit much. And it wasn’t just Oregon.
But as we enter 2017, teams are dialing back on the experimentation.
Even the Ducks have said they’re sticking with a more traditional look.
"We're going to try to stick to more traditional colors this year," Kenny Farr, UO's football equipment administrator, said. "Trying to kind of simplify a few things but still keep it modern and keep it looking really good."
Want a bunch of examples?
Vanderbilt will wear these slick all-white uniforms for the Commodores' season opener against Middle Tennessee on Saturday.
2017 starting fresh and clean | #RTI pic.twitter.com/JdqHBznRmr
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) August 30, 2017
Oregon's new alternates for the Nebraska game indeed keep it pretty simple, other than an explosion of color around the shoes.
Oregon winged helmet back! https://t.co/DZGh65dPJ3
— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) August 24, 2017
Here’s UCLA’s beautiful new look, ending years of one of college sports’ most iconic color schemes being tampered with:
That traditional look you can't beat.
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) July 15, 2017
Details: https://t.co/UhhHxPiReQ#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/7U1D773nw8
Penn State has throwback uniforms, surprising anybody who assumed PSU’s straightforward unis already counted as throwbacks.
Penn State will turn back the clock vs. Indiana on 9-30. We can’t wait to celebrate Generations of Greatness with our Penn State Family! pic.twitter.com/qeIoi7Otuu
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) June 15, 2017
UNC’s new uniforms switch from Nike to Nike’s Jordan Brand, reminding everyone where Michael Jordan went to school. That means putting a basketball logo on a football uni, but these are still clean.
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USC is going so seamless, it’s new jerseys are ... literally seamless.
The greatest uniform in college football is even sleeker this season with new seamless jerseys. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/Ua4tMlaKZl
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) August 14, 2017
Nebraska’s got some new alternates for its game against Wisconsin, with almost no striping and only one unusual element: 1997-style faux-mesh numbers. Nothing is more old-school than mesh jerseys.
How y'all like these new 1997 mesh-style Nebraska jerseys by Adidas? pic.twitter.com/5Md0y5wpWu
— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) July 27, 2017
Michigan State's new white helmets for the WMU game are as crisp as can be:
Washington State revealed these bad boys, and the combinations look clean, thanks to a lack of striping and other complicated elements.
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Utah's new uniforms really have a streamlined feel. Gone are the images of mountains from the jersey sleeves.
.@Utah_Football is going to look so fresh this fall. @UtesEquipment is coming through in the clutch yet again
— The MUSS (@TheMUSS) May 16, 2017
:@UtesEquipment pic.twitter.com/c9TjNkB5D8
Middle Tennessee’s going minimalist, too.
The moment you have been waiting for .... @MT_FB's new uniforms! #BlueRaiders pic.twitter.com/uxW4C3vXYR
— MT Athletics (@MTAthletics) August 5, 2017
WKU’s new unis also include some slick all-whites with very little striping.
❄❄#GoTops #ThePursuit pic.twitter.com/iSlmQC7Tvs
— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) August 12, 2017
Navy always looks nice and unveiled these new Under Armour uniforms. These will probably deviate come time for the Army game, as both teams typically wear gorgeous alternates then.
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Miami has new alternates for its game against Georgia Tech. The all-black look has been botched plenty of times before, but these are nice.
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Also going all-black: Rutgers against Maryland in Yankee Stadium.
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NC State has a similar all-black for use against Louisville. The best part: mascot Tuffy as the helmet logo.
Oregon State’s got a mostly monochrome new look. When just about the wildest detail on this entire list is an orange eye on a silver animal, you know things have changed.
NEW UNIS ALERT!! ◾️ ◾️ #GoBeavs #BeatMinnesota pic.twitter.com/4NgjXATpPr
— 34-24 #GoBeavs (@OSUGoBeavers) August 4, 2017
Boise State’s standard uniforms have been pretty straightforward, albeit with bright colors and a huge helmet logo, and their new gear evolves that look.
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Arizona features some different helmet options but a more straightforward design, no more gradient sleeves, and thin numbers.
A closer look at our new look. #BearDown pic.twitter.com/nGZeso1oO4
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) June 27, 2017
North Texas' only unusual detail is a subtle feather pattern on the sides:
#GMG #NewDenton pic.twitter.com/URjYjHOskw
— #NewDenton (@MeanGreenFB) August 21, 2017
Cal's feature less yellow on the jersey, and a blue stripe down the side of the pants.
Even the oddest unis revealed so far aren't all that complicated, by the sport's recent standards.
Michigan has some all-maize uniforms to wear in a Color Rush-style game against Florida, whose all-blues don't look all that new.
Florida vs. Michigan will basically be a Color Rush game in an NFL stadium, huh? Via Nike:https://t.co/dOuFoFRxTy pic.twitter.com/WE5WxGrqiv
— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) August 28, 2017
Indiana is wearing these against Georgia Southern. The unorthodox element: some limestone styling, a reference to a rock the Hoosiers touch before each game.
How do we like these Indiana alternates?
— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) August 24, 2017
Limestone-pattern numbers, in honor of coach Terry Hoeppner, who passed away in 2007 pic.twitter.com/ZO4QtwPVDi
These Texas A&M alternates for the Mississippi State game feature a maroon-to-black fade, but the colors are both so dark, it's not all that jarring.
Notre Dame will rock a Knute Rockne-inspired throwback, which is very throwback-ish but pretty simplistic overall.
The Lid.
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 18, 2017
The Speech.
The Titles.
The Kicks.
Take a look at some of the details from our ROCKNE Heritage Uniform.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/mDNRZvpuhs
ULM has two new alternates. One has the university logo, not the team logo. And one has a combo red-white-and-blue Warhawk plus P-40 Warhawk fighter plane styling, which is kind of a lot to have going on all at once, but it still looks fine.
Stylin' and Profilin': ULM to wear two alternate uniforms https://t.co/DNiGBvEP8C
— The News-Star (@thenewsstar) August 16, 2017
Sometimes, brighter and flashier isn’t better, and it seems some schools are coming to the same conclusion.
We’ll keep this updated, especially if the trend continues with other programs as more uniforms get released this offseason.