Akshay Eye for the Uniform Guy: Week 11

Nothing too outrageous this week, unfortunately. Hopefully, cupcake/pre-rivalry week gets the creative juices at Nike, Under Armour, and adidas flowing again.

Please note: I am no trained uniform connoisseur; I call them like I see them.

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Miami Ibises

Kit: Black/Black/Black

Result: L 21-27 vs Georgia Tech

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

These aren’t bad uniforms and they created great contrast against Tech’s “whiteout” kits, but this touches on what I said last week about Ohio State’s blackout uniforms: black is not part of Miami’s primary color palette and it all just feels forced. Disrupting Tech's pregame ceremonies was also not a great look, but GT-night-game-whiteout-voodoo magic won the night, so no harm no foul, I guess?

Grade: B+

#3 Notre Dame

Kit: “Green Machine” - Gold/Green/Gold

Result: W 42-13 vs Florida St

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

This is just...not good. Navy numerals outlined in gold and on a green background just messes with my eyes. Notre Dame’s gold helmets are awesome and their gold pants usually contrast well with whatever their jersey color is (navy or white), but this ensemble is just jarring.

Grade: D

Texas Tech

Kit: Red/Red/Red

Result: L 41-48 vs Texas

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

This look from Texas Tech is intriguing. I’m a big fan of unicolored uniforms, and despite the red base for this one, it’s still a good look. However: random slanted text on the pants? Weird dual-tone slanted stripes on the upper chest? Those elements are just kinda strange — they fit into the uniform and aren’t jarringly different, but strange nonetheless.

Grade: B+

Nebraska

Kit: “Memorial Tribute” - White/Red/Cream

Result: W 54-35 vs Illinois

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

The vertical stripes down the torso harken back to the old leather jerseys of yesteryear, but I’m not really a huge fan of them. I’m also not a big fan of the cream pants used here. However, the numerals on the jersey look great, and red and white (regardless of shade) complement each other well, so the overall ensemble is passable. I just wish they had used white pants to match the helmet.

Grade: B-

Pitt

Kit: Retro - Gold/Blue/Gold

Result: W 52-22 vs VT

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Script Pitt logo - check.

Gold and royal blue - check.

Ya love to see it. Pitt’s branding has gotten much, much better in recent years with the shift back to script Pitt and the return of these retro uniforms. Whoever is behind these changes at Pitt, kudos to you.

Grade: A

#23 Iowa State

Kit: “#WinInTheDark“ - Black/Red/Red

Result: W 28-14 vs Baylor

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

This is niiiiiice. The Cyclones got a really nifty uniform and branding upgrade from Nike this offseason, and this week was a showcase for it. The gold of the numerals on the soft red of the jerseys really makes the numbers pop, and the black collar of the jersey goes very well with the black helmet.

Grade: A

#5 Athens Community College

Kit: Don’t care

Result: Doesn’t matter

This is an embarrassingly (and deliciously) idiotic response to an entirely valid question. The school out east’s first blackout was versus Auburn 11 years ago this weekend. Come ON. This is the type of school that would blow its only alternate jersey on a cupcake game versus Louisiana-Lafayette (no offense to the very-awesomely-named Ragin’ Cajuns) a few weeks before a rivalry game that it’d end up losing. Let it be well-known what usually happens when Athens tries to do a blackout. (This tweet is also not funny — “Savage Pads” is a terrible name for a turnover prop.)

Grade: F-

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Got more uni thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!