Baylor, Virginia Tech among teams that will change up uniforms for 2024 college football season

The first wave of college football Uniform changes are coming and several programs will use new jersey designs for the 2024 season. At least three schools have released new uniform sets, with more helmets and concepts coming soon.

In general, uniforms follow a clean design. The era of wild and crazy t-shirts seems to be over after the 2010s. That said, there are more details and even traditional components than the latest iteration of minimalism. Several shows are adding little stripes on the shoulders to break up the monotony, but still feature a base screen.

Auburn (Nike) and Texas Tech (Adidas) struck deals with new apparel companies in July, which requires an overhaul. All new looks are expected to be released in time for media days in July. But for now, here are some of the new looks to keep an eye on in 2024.

Baylor

The Bears made minor tweaks to their existing set. Most notably, the school added subtle stripes on the shoulders. Previously, Baylor’s jerseys were a color block, but the stripe especially breaks up what were once garish yellow jerseys. The stripe also makes the shirts a little more flexible for mixing and matching.

However, the main attraction came on Thursday with the release of black “anthracite” t-shirts. The black threads pay homage to the highly popular jerseys worn during back-to-back Big 12 championships in 2013-14 and feature small bear paws on the shoulder, similar to those on the old threads. Players from both starting teams will be honored during the 2024 season for their 10-year anniversary.

Virginia Technology

The Hokies haven’t officially released new uniforms yet, but some details are confirmed. Most notably, VT is removing the shoulder stripes and bringing back a cleaner design reminiscent of Michael Vick’s look. The Hokies wore a similar jersey in 2021, and there’s a chance it could provide a template.

West Virginia

The Mountaineers updated their base uniform set in April with a combination of new age and traditional aspects. The “flying WV” logo is back on the sleeves after a 10-year hiatus, harking back to the Don Nehlen era. The uniform is reinstating the stripes on the shoulders and adding stripes on the pants.

WVU outdid itself with a “Coal Rush Black” uniform set released in May with influence from real West Virginia coal miners. While the shirt style remains similar, the gray numbering on a black shirt stands out. The shoulders and a stripe on the helmet feature a charcoal-inspired pattern. Black uniforms are slowly making a comeback in college football, but West Virginia’s is the initial standard.

Illinois

The Fighting Illini team will play their 100th season at Memorial Stadium in 2024. They are celebrating with vintage helmets from throughout history. The helmets in question were used by Illinois at different periods from 1962 to 2012.

The first features four stars and was used during the Dick Butkus era, including during a Rose Bowl victory in 1964. An arched Illini helmet was used throughout most of the 1970s and 1980s. Illinois” highlighted in an orange background and won two Big Ten championships. The retro helmet schedule will be released soon.

Iowa State

The Cyclones also debuted a new set of jerseys, adding three colors to the mix: red, white and black. The new shirts added a series of stripes to all three kits – some combination of red, yellow, white and black. Additionally, “Iowa State” is now printed on all jerseys after a brief hiatus.

More to watch

• Colorado: The Buffs have some of the most underrated uniforms in college football, but they will get a new look during the 2024 season after all the attention in the first year of the Deion Sanders era. No plans have been released at this time, but the School Twitter suggested a change in January.
• Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have ended their partnership with Under Armor and are moving to Adidas. The decision reunites Texas Tech with Patrick Mahomes, Adidas’ reference athlete. The brand has started releasing Mahomes-branded apparel – could this be factored into uniforms à la Jordan Brand in North Carolina?
• Oregon: The Ducks release new looks almost every week, but Oregon is entering next season with a “Generation O“total rebranding. Some of the looks mentioned have included futuristic uniforms and throwback jerseys at different times. Nike mega-donor Phil Knight always shows up for the Ducks.
• The conference realignment will bring a series of new jerseys with different patches, most notably the SEC logos for Oklahoma and Texas, and the Big Ten logos on USC and Oregon’s kits.