Remember the mockup Nike Pro Combat uniforms that were sketched out for NFL teams that we wrote about in the Deep Dish about a month ago? Those aren't going to happen -- or at least the NFL denied that they would be used in games in a tweet -- but similar uniforms are going to be used in at least a couple of college football bowl games.
According to this article this morning at BusinessWire, Boise State, TCU, and the two teams competing in the BCS national championship game, Auburn and Oregon, will be wearing these uniforms. Here's why Nike says they're better than uniforms that have gone our way before:
The uniform design emphasizes thermoregulation by featuring Nike Pro Deflex padding with two-way airflow to cool the body and wick away sweat. The jerseys are made of four-way stretch woven twill that sheds moisture. A Flywire collar eliminates two layers of fabric for improved breathability, providing a more stable anchor to keep the jersey in place.
There's more, but that's probably enough four-syllable words for you this afternoon. Unless you'd like to hear about the shoes:
Nike Football’s most advanced cleat ever, the Zoom Alpha Talon Cleat leverages the most innovative technologies to meet the performance needs of every position. Working with elite athletes, Nike designers delivered improved footing at full speed with an innovative on-demand, adaptive traction system. The interior cleats in the forefoot extend when full pressure is applied for more traction when needed and retract when not. The Air Zoom Alpha Talon cleat also features a Flywire upper for lightweight lockdown, a low-profile cushioning system for comfort, and Nike Pro Deflex padding around the ankle for breathable protection.
Whatever you say. Some of these uniforms are decent-looking and resemble the existing designs for the teams. And some of them ... don't. After the jump, photos and renderings of the new uni's for the bowl games. (Neither Northwestern nor Illinois will be wearing anything like this for their bowl games.)
Oregon will be wearing these uniforms. The socks are... neon green. I've never been fond of Oregon's numbering style, which is really hard to read at a distance, and is likely to be worse in this color, which can be best described as "swamp green":
They'll be facing Auburn, wearing uniforms very similar to what they use now:
Boise State, who could have had a shot at the BCS championship game, instead will wear these in the Las Vegas Bowl this weekend:
The TCU photographs aren't quite as nice, but here's what the Horned Frogs will be wearing when they face Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl:
