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  • David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterOct 27, 2024, 02:02 AM ET

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    • College football reporter.
    • Joined ESPN in 2012.
    • Graduate of the University of Delaware.

At first, it was a quaint footnote.

Then, it was all vibes, the bandwagon filling up with wide-eyed joy riders, and all the breaks going their way.

And now, nine weeks into the season, it’s getting increasingly difficult to shrug off all we’ve seen as dumb luck, soft schedules and total flukes.

As we close in on November, it’s time to take Indiana, BYU and Pittsburgh seriously.

The momentum has built slowly, cautiously — like when someone suggests going to Waffle House as a party winds down. Everyone has a good laugh, but the next thing you know, Indiana’s in the Big Ten title game, a waitress is poking you with a fork to make sure you’re alive and your face is glued to the table with maple syrup.

To see Pitt, BYU and Indiana among the small handful of teams still undefeated as we reach the final Saturday in October is incongruous and perplexing and yet undeniably exhilarating — like seeing Mr. T at the airport. It makes no sense, but here we are, shaking our heads, smiling ear to ear and pitying any fool who doesn’t appreciate just how cool this is.

Yes, the nation’s best team may still be Georgia, which had the week off so Kirby Smart could research the home addresses of each official from last week’s game against Texas, or perhaps Oregon, which utterly demolished Illinois 38-9 on Saturday, or any one of a half dozen other entirely predictable success stories. But with so much football still to be played in this new era of the 12-team playoff, there’s no need to focus too much on solving the mystery of who’ll ultimately hoist the trophy at year’s end when these likely red herrings are still so much fun.

Indiana is 8-0 after overwhelming Washington 31-17, even without starting QB Kurtis Rourke. In the past, losing the starting QB would only result in a brutal loss and higher insurance premiums for the Hoosiers, but not this team. We’re eight games into the season, and Indiana still hasn’t trailed at any point. According to ESPN Research, no other program in at least 20 years has done that. A program best known for providing depressing lyrics to John Mellencamp songs is suddenly doing things even Nick Saban couldn’t manage.

We knew when the season began that the Big 12 would be chaos, but of all the possible scenarios — Kansas State, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State — how many people predicted BYU would be the lead dog? It’s a complete fever dream, this offense led by a Jewish quarterback at a Mormon school bouncing from rollicking come-from-behind wins to defiant dominance, such as Saturday’s 37-24 win over hapless UCF. Jake Retzlaff accounted for three touchdowns, LJ Martin ran for 101 yards and the defense picked off UCF twice.

And then there’s Pitt, which stumbled its way to a 3-9 season in 2023 but found new life this offseason with a new-look offense, a 5-foot-6 tailback and a head coach who has rebuilt his program by going against every defensive instinct he has ever had like some sort of Yinzer George Costanza. On Thursday, the Panthers’ defense stole the show, swarming Syracuse as Kyle McCord handed out interceptions like he was Oprah giving away cars. Pitt has the third-lowest time of possession in the country, trailed by double-digits in the fourth quarter twice in September and is relying on an offensive superstar who’s not tall enough to ride the Tilt-a-Whirl, and yet it all works.

Are any of them championship material? What does that even mean? There are just seven undefeated teams left in the power conferences, and Indiana, BYU and Pitt are among them. Meanwhile, a cast of last year’s champions — the teams that won the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC, ACC, Sun Belt and MAC — are a combined 19-27 against FBS competition this year.

In an era when the transfer portal is supposed to sap the second-class programs of their best talent, a QB who left Alabama is leading the way at Pittsburgh.

In an era when the best coaches are supposed to be cashing eight-figure checks at the biggest schools, Curt Cignetti took a sizable portion of his roster from James Madison to one of the most moribund programs in the sport and is running circles around the Big Ten while just a win shy of matching Indiana’s all-time record for victories in a season.

In an era when the best teams have the biggest budgets to lure elite recruits, BYU has a roster full of guys who never wanted to be anywhere else, and they’ve proven to be the perfect combination of grit and performance and drive — like if Diet Mountain Dew were a football team. No one understands it, but it’s great.

There are other good stories in college football this season — from Cam Ward‘s magic to Ashton Jeanty‘s heroics to Sonny Dykes’ short-lived career waiting tables at Coyote Ugly finally paying dividends. But in a sport that has spent the bulk of the past five years playing the role of wicked stepmother for every would-be Cinderella, it’s fitting that so much of the 2024 season, the first in this new era of college football, has been about the little guys who’ve figured out a way to build a team with castoffs and duct tape and remind the country that it’s still OK to root for the underdog.

Jump to:
Colorado’s going bowling | Aggies win with backup QB
Penn State survives | Ward rattled vs. FSU | Sunflowers for K-State
Horns up in Nashville | Irish eye playoff | Alabama rolls
Ohio State escapes | Vibe shifts | Heisman five | Under the radar

Buffs going bowling

Coach Prime will coach a bowl game.

Colorado knocked off Cincinnati 34-23 on Saturday, reaching six wins on the season and securing postseason eligibility, something that many of Deion Sanders’ critics believed wasn’t possible.

Shedeur Sanders was excellent. Travis Hunter was dynamic. Warren Sapp consumed three Subway footlongs on the sideline. Every star shone bright in the win.

Colorado hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2020, but Saturday’s win marked another turning point that Deion Sanders promised upon arrival. There were reasonable doubts given Coach Prime’s unconventional approach to building a team, but the unique alchemy of Hunter, myriad transfers, two of Sanders’ own kids, a ton of media attention and an unquenchable desire to spite idiots in the media turned out to be just what the Buffaloes needed.

There are still hills for the Buffs to climb. They’ve yet to beat a ranked foe. They’ve got a shot at the Big 12 title game. They’d like to see more engagement on Shilo Sanders‘ cat’s new YouTube channel. But this is invariably a major step for a program that, before Coach Prime’s arrival, was a laughingstock and is now one of the better teams in the Big 12 and a genuinely solid program.

Aggies roll with Reed

Down 10 in the third quarter, Mike Elko made a bold decision, benching QB Conner Weigman and handing the keys to the offense over to freshman Marcel Reed.

By game’s end, the move looked like a stroke of genius, Texas A&M was celebrating a 38-23 win over LSU.

Reed sparked the Aggies’ offense, completing just two passes for 70 yards, but also rushing for 63 and three touchdowns in the win.

Meanwhile, the Aggies’ D was exceptional late, picking off Garrett Nussmeier three times in the second half, and turning a 10-point deficit into an easy win.

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BJ Mayes’ Superman-like INT results in Reed’s 3rd rushing TD

BJ Mayes dives to make an impressive interception, then Marcel Reed gallops into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown.

Still, Elko wasn’t done when the clock hit zero. In his postgame news conference, he delivered an impassioned lecture on the state of the program in his first season as head coach.

It seemed a rather pointed commentary about what Elko had inherited at A&M, and former coach Jimbo Fisher was quick to respond with a torrent of gibberish that amounted to suggesting he would’ve won 10 games if A&M had just adopted tariffs on all Texas players being recruited out of state to fund its NIL collective. He then kissed a baby, shook hands with the cook at a local diner and promised to cut Reveille’s taxes.

Drew Allar sat the second half of Penn State’s 28-13 win over Wisconsin, but the Nittany Lions still managed to survive another week, setting up a key Week 10 showdown with Ohio State.

Wisconsin, which had been little more than a mild cheddar for much of Luke Fickell’s tenure in Madison, had been upgraded to a spicy pepper jack during a three-game winning streak, and it was poised to earn rich burrata status after leading 10-7 at half. But without Allar, the Nittany Lions relied on Beau Pribula, a solid run game and a stout defense to deliver the win.

Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton combined for 194 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, and James Franklin celebrated yet another win that will be immediately forgotten when he loses to a top-10 team next week.

Ward rattled, Miami wins

They say, in rivalry games such as Miami vs. Florida State, you can throw the records out the window, to which Mike Norvell asks why they can’t also do that against Duke.

Regardless, FSU was frisky Saturday, proving that if you’re simply bad enough, it’s almost good.

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FSU’s Luke Kromenhoek runs for 50 yards on planned QB sneak

Florida State QB Luke Kromenhoek averts disaster and takes off for a 50-yard rush.

True story: That was Florida State’s longest run of the year. The previous high came on a fake punt. Much of FSU’s offense is based on a dare.

Still, the Noles’ D played well, and largely kept Cam Ward in check, holding the Heisman hopeful to fewer than 300 yards and without a touchdown pass — a first for Ward in both categories this season.

The Canes’ ground game carried the day, however, rushing for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Ward actually caught a touchdown pass because Miami felt it was important to find new ways to embarrass Florida State this year.

Sunflowers for K-State

Kansas State won the Sunflower Showdown for the 16th straight season, thwarting Kansas with a go-ahead 51-yard field goal with 1:42 to play to survive 29-27.

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Chris Tennant drills a go-ahead 51-yard FG for K-State

Chris Tennant drills a go-ahead 51-yard FG for K-State

It was the latest indignity in a season filled with them for the Jayhawks, who fall to 2-6 on the year with five of their losses coming by six points or fewer.

K-State’s Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns, ran for a third and won a halftime Ted Nugent lookalike contest.

Horns up in Nashville

In any other year, playing Vanderbilt is the perfect chance to get right after a particularly brutal loss such as the one Texas endured last week against Georgia. This year though, Vandy is the rough equivalent of the DIY plumbing project that looked so easy on YouTube only to result in a broken toilet, a near drowning and a story your wife will tell at cocktail parties while everyone laughs at you.

So it was Saturday, as Texas struggled to put the Commodores away, even after QB Quinn Ewers played nearly flawless football before the half. After throwing a pick on Texas’ first drive of the game, Ewers completed 17 straight passes as the Horns jumped to a 21-7 lead.

Still, Vandy refused to roll over, scoring with 46 seconds left to pull to within three, but the subsequent onside kick attempt found a Texas player, and Diego Pavia didn’t get a last chance at some magic, with the Horns holding on 27-24.

Irish eye playoff

So much for the feel-good story of Navy‘s 6-0 start to the season. Notre Dame marched into MetLife Stadium and utterly dominated the Midshipmen’s defense, cruising to a 51-14 win behind 265 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Riley Leonard threw for two touchdowns in the win, and the Irish defense picked off Blake Horvath once and recovered five fumbles in the game. The win is the second of the season for the Irish over a ranked opponent, which helps to cover for what is the most embarrassing loss of the year (against Northern Illinois) of any playoff contender, but it also upends all the fun of the undefeated starts to the season for Army and Navy.

All of this begs the question: Why couldn’t Notre Dame just let America have this one unifying storyline? Why couldn’t we just come together as a country to enjoy supporting something still untarnished by divisiveness and outrage?

And the answer is because Notre Dame doesn’t believe in an America that doesn’t consider Notre Dame to be America’s team. It’s selfish. It’s frustrating. It’s the American way.

Tide turns in T-town

A win over Missouri isn’t likely to take the pressure off Kalen DeBoer for long, but Alabama did put together an emphatic all-around performance Saturday that should at least convince a few Finebaum callers to skip this week’s tirade and focus their outrage on Ulysses S. Grant again for a while.

Jalen Milroe accounted for 265 yards and a score, the defense picked off Drew Pyne three times, and Alabama delivered a resounding 34-0 win Saturday, helping erase the memories of last week’s exploding cigar against Tennessee.

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Highlight: Balanced Bama bounces back, blasts Missouri

The No. 15 Crimson Tide grind out 486 yards of total offense (271 rushing) and shuts out No. 21 Missouri, 34-0.

The Tide still end October with multiple losses for the first time since 2007, but thanks to the 12-team playoff, there’s no reason to assume a championship is out of reach — particularly since LSU is the only offense with a pulse still on the docket.

Brady Cook attempted to do his impression of Monty Python’s Black Knight, explaining that his ailing hand was but a flesh wound, but Alabama likely delivered a mortal injury to Missouri’s time in the top 25. After Missouri narrowly escaped Boston College, Vanderbilt and Auburn this year, the Tide officially pulled the “contender” mask off the Tigers, revealing them to be basically just Kentucky with a better receiving corps.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Nebraska lost a close game to a ranked opponent, letting all the air out of what had once felt like an encouraging season.

Ohio State was the latest to topple the Cornhuskers, escaping with a 21-17 win Saturday after Dylan Raiola threw a pick on Nebraska’s final drive, ending hopes of a late comeback.

For the Buckeyes, it was a less-than-flattering performance, but a gritty win nevertheless. For Nebraska, it was the latest bit of futility in a string of misery that would’ve been deemed “too dark” for the “Saw” franchise.

It was Nebraska’s 27th straight loss to a ranked opponent, a streak dating back to 2016. In that same span, the Huskers have lost 35 games by a touchdown or less, eight more than any other FBS program. And Matt Rhule is now 2-22 as a head coach against ranked teams, which doesn’t even count his tenure with the Carolina Panthers, which has been described as “like getting a root canal at a Creed concert.”

The win for the Buckeyes keeps their hopes for a Big Ten title game appearance alive, but it was a big blow for the line of teams waiting outside Ryan Day’s house hoping he’ll get fired so they can be his rebound relationship.

Week 9 vibe check

Each week, big swings upend playoff projections, but lots of smaller shifts also alter the college football landscape. We keep tabs on those here.

Trending up: Hostilities in Michigan

Most of Saturday’s game between Michigan and Michigan State was a rock fight, and when it was over, the two teams went the more traditional fight route.

It was a battle to see who was the most middling team in Michigan (apologies to Central Michigan, who remains, geographically, the most middling), and while the early results amounted to little more than two toddlers fighting over a popsicle, Michigan actually emerged with its first vestiges of an offensive identity this year.

Davis Warren got the start at QB, and he looked solid, completing 13 of 19 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Alex Orji proved a valuable weapon in the run game, carrying six times for 64 yards and a score. And Colston Loveland was the best player on the field for much of the game, hauling in two touchdown grabs — the first game in which Michigan had multiple receiving TDs as a team since the opener against Fresno State.

When the dust settled on the postgame skirmish, both teams agreed there were no hard feelings, made a few jokes about Ohio State coach Ryan Day and all was forgiven.

Trending down: Kickers in Durham

Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee eagerly admitted SMU had no business winning on Saturday. The Mustangs turned the ball over six times against Duke, including twice in the fourth quarter, but the Blue Devils missed a 42-yard field goal and had a 30-yarder at the end of regulation blocked when Jahfari Harvey reenacted a scene from “The Matrix.”

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Duke’s potential game-winning kick blocked as time expires

Duke tries to kick the game-winning 30-yard field goal, but the kick is blocked.

This was technically a game between two 6-1 teams, which is a little like saying Dr Pepper and Dr. Dre technically finished medical school. Instead it was mostly a comedy of errors, with SMU’s fourth quarter amounting to a fumble and two picks, while Duke had six different drives into SMU territory that didn’t end with points.

Trending up: Special teams chicanery

If there was one overriding trend from Week 9, it was teams embracing fake kicks.

Texas Tech scored off a fake field goal, though it still lost to TCU.

Wisconsin‘s punter scrambled for an impromptu fake that went for a first down, though the Badgers, too, lost to Penn State.

And West Virginia executed the fake field goal to perfection in a win over Arizona.

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WVU runs fake FG to perfection for a touchdown

Leighton Bechdel fakes the hold before cutting it outside for a Mountaineers touchdown.

By day’s end, Brent Venables had decided next week Oklahoma was just going to run fake punts on every play.

Trending up: Do-it-all ACC QBs

Virginia Tech‘s Kyron Drones threw a 20-yard touchdown, caught a 6-yard TD on a pass from Jaylin Lane and ran in a score from a yard out in the Hokies’ 21-6 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Drones is the first ACC QB with a passing, rushing and receiving TD in the same game since Jordan Travis did it in 2022 and just the fourth of the playoff era.

Not to be outdone, Cal QB Fernando Mendoza threw and caught a touchdown — on the same play.

Mendoza tossed to Jaivian Thomas, who was quickly wrapped up but lateraled the ball back to the QB, who scampered for an easy touchdown in a 44-7 win over Oregon State.

Meanwhile, Florida State QBs also joined in the fun by losing the helmet with the speaker in it, accidentally setting the team bench on fire and giving out Mike Norvell’s social security number to a man claiming to be a Nigerian prince all in the same game.

Trending down: Sooners’ new OC

After last week’s 35-9 unraveling against South Carolina, Oklahoma decided it had gone as far as it could with offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. In retrospect, having the entire offensive playbook printed in Comic Sans should’ve been an early warning. Regardless, Week 9 was a chance to turn the page, and for the first half, it looked as if the Sooners might have some real mojo. Unfortunately, mojo is not an offensive lineman.

Instead, the most exciting offensive weapon on the field in Oklahoma’s 26-14 loss to Ole Miss was a squirrel, who ran 20 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

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A squirrel scores a TD in the Oklahoma-Ole Miss game

A squirrel gets on the field in the Oklahoma-Ole Miss game and scores a touchdown, making the Rebels fans go wild.

Brent Venables attempted to sign the squirrel to play tailback for the remainder of the season, but the sides could not agree on NIL compensation, after the squirrel demanded a deal which Oklahoma’s collective referred to as “completely nuts.”

Trending up: Sam Pittman’s job security

Taylen Green threw for five touchdowns and ran for a sixth in Arkansas‘ 58-25 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, moving the Hogs to within one game of bowl eligibility and pushing them over last season’s win total of four.

Green was exceptional, nearly matching his season total for passing TDs (6) in the game, throwing for 314 yards and rushing for 79 more, clearly flourishing under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.

This marks the first time in history Petrino had a hand in saving a coach’s job, and frankly, he must be as confused as the rest of us. That said, if Billy Napier doesn’t win another couple games, he’d like to remind the folks at Florida they can view an updated CV for him on LinkedIn.

Trending up: Winless teams

Kent State is the last team standing. Or, sitting. Or, perhaps, curled up in the fetal position at the 50-yard line.

Regardless, the not-so-Golden Flashes were annihilated by Western Michigan 52-21 on Saturday, falling 0-8, the last FBS team still in search of a victory in 2024.

Meanwhile, the other formerly winless FBS team, Kennesaw State, picked up victory No. 1 with style, knocking off undefeated Liberty 27-24 on Wednesday.

It marked the first time a winless team beat an undefeated team 5-0 or better since North Texas toppled Middle Tennessee in 2001. It was also Kennesaw’s first win as an FBS program, marking the second-greatest accomplishment in school history after that one time someone remembered there were two Ns and only one S in “Kennesaw” without having to look it up.

Trending up: Iowa being Iowa

Iowa trounced Northwestern on Saturday, 40-14. In the game, the Hawkeyes recorded a safety, a special teams touchdown, three takeaways and an easy win in spite of no QB in the game throwing for more than 100 yards.

So, please cash in your Iowa B-I-N-G-O card at the front desk to claim your prize, and yes, the prize is a mosaic portrait of Hayden Fry made of corn kernels.

Trending up: Punting

After flirting with the Big 12, UConn continues to look for a conference home, and after Saturday’s game, the Huskies are looking quite tempting to the Big Ten.

UConn and Rice played the undercard match in the Paint Drying World Championship, with the two teams combining for 20 punts in a 17-10 UConn win. Rice managed just 10 first downs and 178 yards of offense, including just 88 yards through the air.

Before either team found the end zone, the game featured 14 punts, two turnovers, a missed field goal and an intentional grounding penalty that ended the first half.

Trending up: Heels’ D-line

North Carolina demolished Virginia 41-14, thanks in large part — literally — to its defensive front.

Kaimon Rucker led the way with three sacks, and UNC got to Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea 10 times in the game. But it was big man Jahvaree Ritzie who stole the show with an 84-yard pick-six.

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UNC DL makes ridiculous 84-yard pick six

North Carolina defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie intercepts Virginia’s quarterback and goes 84 yards for a touchdown.

Trending up: Foodborne illness

Hugh Freeze skipped the team flight to Kentucky this week because of an upset stomach brought on either by watching game film of his QBs or eating a McRib he found behind his couch. Whatever the cause though, it was a stroke of genius by the Auburn coach.

Freeze joined his team Saturday after chugging a mixture of 7-Up and Pepto, and Auburn clearly looked inspired by its coach’s resilience. The Tigers shut out Kentucky in the second half and cruised to a 24-10 win — their first SEC victory since Nov. 11 of last year — behind 278 yards and two touchdowns from tailback Jarquez Hunter.

Freeze remains undefeated in his career when coaching after medical issues, and he has promised to keep the streak going by downing a tub of Gus Malzahn’s chili that has been sitting in the coaches office fridge before next week’s game against Vandy.

Heisman five

This was the week the Heisman excitement came crashing down to reality for a number of contenders. Some — Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward — survived. Others, such as Blake Horvath didn’t. And others, such as Cade Klubnik, took the week off to catch up on the new season of “Lincoln Lawyer.” It’s not good but he needs something to talk to Dabo about.

1. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

Jeanty faced a stacked box consistently and was thwarted regularly in Boise State’s 29-24 win over UNLV on Thursday. It was, clearly, his low point in 2024. He also had 139 yards and the game-winning touchdown. We should all be so lucky to have our hard days in Vegas look so good.

2. Miami QB Cam Ward

Saturday was theoretically Ward’s worst game of the season, but here’s a fun stat: On third down, he was 8-of-8 passing for 89 yards. For the season on third and fourth down, Ward is completing 79% of his throws, averaging 9.6 yards per touch and has converted 56% of his plays.

3. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

The Ducks dominated listless Illinois, and Gabriel accounted for just shy of 300 yards and four total touchdowns — averaging better than 11 yards per pass. He also inspired the coaching staff at Illinois, with Bret Bielema promising that, one day, he’d like his team to throw a forward pass, too.

4. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

After missing much of the past two games, Hunter returned to action Saturday and made up for lost time. He played more than 120 snaps, caught nine passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and had two tackles and three passes defended on defense. And his end zone celebration was so Mick Jagger-like that Keith Richards sat up in his hammock, yelled some gibberish, announced a new tour and fell back to sleep.

5. Army QB Bryson Daily

Army was off this week, leaving Daily to work full time in his other job as one of the Avengers.

Under-the-radar game of the week

There are blown leads, and then there’s what happened to UTSA on Saturday, which was something more akin to getting kicked while an anvil falls on your head.

The Roadrunners led 35-7 at halftime, 42-17 with 5:30 to go in the third and 45-32 with 3 minutes left in the game.

They led by 6 with Tulsa facing a second-and-13 at its own 5-yard line with 1:55 to play.

And they lost.

Tulsa went 95 yards on the next seven plays, scoring in less than a minute to take a 46-45 win. Cooper Legas threw five touchdowns, including three to Kamdyn Benjamin, in the win. UTSA won the turnover battle, outgained Tulsa by 113 yards, allowed just 63 yards on the ground and still lost. It was a stunning finish, even for a school named for a city known for memorable losses.

Under-the-radar play of the week

Typically this space is reserved for particularly noteworthy college football games, but since Texas high school football is actually better than Conference USA, we’re making an exception.

On Thursday, Lone Star was poised for a rollicking win over Frisco Wakeland, driving for a game-winning score in overtime, handing the ball off from the 9-yard line with a chance to win. Karece Hoyt pushed the pile forward to the 1 before being enveloped by a scrum of defenders short of the goal line, only to see Wakeland’s Austin Wilson emerge with the football, returning the fumble 99 yards for a score and a 65-59 win.

On one hand, it was a tribute to Wakeland’s never-say-die approach to the game’s final moments. On the other hand, it was a reminder that pushing for extra yards with the game in hand is never worthwhile, and simply giving up, kicking a field goal and hitting the Dairy Queen is a far better option.

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Most iconic — and chaotic — alternate CFB uniforms of the past 25 years

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July 27, 2025

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Most iconic -- and chaotic -- alternate CFB uniforms of the past 25 years

Jul 26, 2025, 11:05 AM ET

Some have had a few. Some have had many. The Oregon Ducks seemingly come up with a new one every week.

The topic is, of course, alternate uniforms. The best of the best have become beloved staples of the fall calendar for college football fans. Just as many, though, have been relegated to the dustbin of history (or at least a campus storage closet). A vaunted few have risen to an even higher tier: cult classic.

With the 2025 college football season approaching, we decided to run through the extensive catalog of alternate uniform offerings in the sport since 2000 and parse through it all to determine some of the most memorable — for better or for worse.

We broke our superlatives list down into a number of categories — three broad, three specific, each with multiple nominations, and six exclusive awards. Some of these categories reward aesthetic beauty. More prefer just plain zaniness.

Here are the best, worst and wildest of alternate uniforms from the past 25 years.

Best in show

In the nominations for our best of the best, we covered a wide range of topical ground. From distinct colors to well-executed throwbacks, our five picks offer an array of different ways to make an alternate uniform pop.

Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors: Retro and rainbow, 2015

Florida International Panthers: Miami Vice, 2024

Houston Cougars: Paying homage to the Oilers, 2023

Florida Gators: Simplistic throwback perfection, 2019

SMU Mustangs: Repping Dallas, 2019

Most … ambitious

It’s always encouraging when a team is willing to try something new — creativity and boldness are two traits that help make college football fun. That said, not every outside-the-box alternate uniform idea is created equal. We’re not necessarily saying these uniforms are bad, but they definitely were… enterprising.

Florida Gators: Gator-print, 2017

Michigan State Spartans: Neon green, 2019

Colorado Buffaloes: Throwbacks gone too simplistic, 2009

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Yankee Stadium crossover, 2018

Miami Hurricanes: Orange sleeves, 2005

Craziest helmets

A great — or poor — helmet can make or break a uniform, so we created a separate category for some of the most notable lids. Bonus points were awarded for distinctiveness, regardless of how well-executed.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Big Red front and center, 2024

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Honeycomb theme, 2012

Utah Utes: Rose Bowl specials, 2022

Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia tries grey, 2011

Virginia Tech Hokies: The flexing HokieBird, 2012

Most “State-triotic”

A key element of college football is representing a school’s hometown or home state. These three schools went the furthest in going above and beyond to fulfill that mission, incorporating their state’s flag into their alternate uniforms. The aesthetic results were varied.

Maryland Terrapins, 2011

Colorado State Rams, 2017

Texas Tech Red Raiders, 2014

Best from the final frontier

An unlikely source of quality alternate jerseys in recent years? Outer space. In fact, space-themed uniforms produced enough impressive alternates that we deemed it worthy of its own category. Here are the best of the best to have drawn inspiration from the stars.

UCF Knights: Space U, 2023

Purdue Boilermakers: Honoring the school’s astronauts, 2019

Air Force Falcons: Representing the Space Force, 2022

Best tribute

Context matters for uniforms, too. Almost all alternate uniforms represent or honor something, but some threads have particularly special motives. These two alternates have established themselves as particularly distinguished in the backstory category.

Boston College Eagles: The red bandana series

The Eagles have donned uniforms featuring a red bandana pattern and a “FOR WELLES” nameplate once a year since 2014. The uniforms pay homage to Welles Crowther, a Boston College alum who died saving lives in the Sept. 11 attacks while wearing a red bandana.

UAB Blazers: The Children’s Harbor series

A tradition since 2016, UAB has worn special jerseys for select games as part of a partnership with Children’s Harbor, a service center for seriously ill children and their families in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blazers’ Children’s Harbor jerseys feature the names of patients on the back in place of those of players.

Worst trend to never catch on

Block letter jerseys

A very brief but nevertheless unfortunate stint in the pantheon of alternate uniform history was the spurt of designs in the early 2010s featuring jerseys with block letter logos front and center. Of the assorted pitfalls an alternate uniform can hit, these ran the gauntlet.

Changing the aesthetics for the jerseys of teams with classic traditional threads? Check. Unwieldy designs without grounding in a school’s history or tradition? Check. Creating a strange on-screen viewing experience? Check. Blissfully, these never took hold outside of a few Big Ten one-offs.

Lifetime achievement award

Oregon

Undoubtedly the most prolific uniform-producing school, the Ducks put out more uniform combinations in a season than some programs do in a decade. Instead of trying to choose which categories to slot them into — since they’ve produced enough memorable combinations to be involved in just about every option, really — we’re simply giving the Ducks a lifetime achievement award, showcasing a short palette of their range here.

Best alternate uniform reveal series

Notre Dame

While there have been plenty of great alternate uniform reveals, nobody in the game has committed to a bit quite like Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish started in 2022, parodying “The Hangover” to unveil their uniforms for that year’s Shamrock Series game in Las Vegas. They’ve since established the movie parody lane as their niche, riffing “Jerry Maguire” in 2023 and “Wolf of Wall Street” in 2024.

Best consistent yearly alternate uniform matchup

The Army-Navy game

Admittedly, there are not a ton of matchups producing alternate uniform matchups on an annual basis. Or any, for that matter. But it simply wouldn’t be an alternate uniform story without plaudits being given to the level of detail put into Army and Navy’s respective uniforms on a yearly basis for their rivalry game in recent years. So, like Oregon, we’ve created a specific category to highlight some of the best Army-Navy alternate uniform showdowns.

Techs Stick Together unity award

Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech, 2007

It felt right to end this piece with an “alternate” uniform that, while very much not intentional, was certainly memorable. On November 1, 2007, Virginia Tech played a routine road game against Georgia Tech. There was just one issue — some of the Hokies’ jerseys had gone missing. As a result, four Virginia Tech players had to play with the only extra uniforms on hand: Yellow Jacket road jerseys, with new names scrawled on the back and “Georgia Tech” blacked out on the front.

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Va. Tech probing tampering claim by NC Central

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July 27, 2025

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Va. Tech probing tampering claim by NC Central

  • David HaleJul 26, 2025, 10:54 AM ET

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    • College football reporter.
    • Joined ESPN in 2012.
    • Graduate of the University of Delaware.

At a media event Friday, North Carolina Central coach Trei Oliver was asked about the most ridiculous moments he has faced in coaching, and his response set off alarms across the state of Virginia.

Oliver said he found a Virginia Tech assistant coach on the sideline for one of North Carolina Central’s games last year and suggested the coach was there to lure his star running back, J’Mari Taylor, into the transfer portal.

“Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver told reporters, according to WRAL News. “That was pretty bold. I couldn’t believe it.”

Oliver didn’t name the running back, but he said the player later transferred to Virginia. Taylor was a first-team all-conference player who is now on Virginia’s roster.

Oliver said he needed assistant coaches to calm him down on the sideline, noting several told him, “He’s just down here visiting.'”

“But I knew what it was,” Oliver said.

Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday saying this was the first time the issue had been raised and that the school would investigate.

“This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel,” the team said. “Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.”

Taylor, a graduate transfer, will be part of the Virginia backfield rotation this season, and Oliver said he will be rooting for his former player at his new school — particularly when the Cavaliers play Virginia Tech on Nov. 29.

“Thank God he went to UVA,” Oliver said, “and UVA is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks.”

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MLB trade deadline updates, rumors: Bubble teams could shape week ahead

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July 27, 2025

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MLB trade deadline updates, rumors: Bubble teams could shape week ahead

Jul 27, 2025, 09:20 AM ET

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner, with contending teams deciding what they need to add before 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.

Could Jarren Duran be on the move from the Boston Red Sox? Will the Arizona Diamondbacks deal Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen to contenders? And who among the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies will go all-in to boost their 2025 World Series hopes?

Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.

More: Top 50 trade candidates | Passan’s preview | Fantasy spin

Jump to: Completed deals | Latest intel

Completed deal tracker

Yankees make another deal for infield depth

The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for two minor leaguers. Story »

Royals get outfielder in trade with D-backs

The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Andrew Hoffmann. Story »

Yankees land infielder McMahon in deal with Rockies

The New York Yankees are acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »

Mets get bullpen help from O’s

The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »

Mariners start trade season with deal for Naylor

The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Brandyn Garcia and right-hander Ashton Izzi are headed back to the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners for first baseman Josh Naylor, sources told ESPN. Story » | Grades »

MLB trade deadline buzz

July 27

Can Mets find an ace at deadline? The market has been very thin in teams offloading, but according to sources, the Mets continue to look around to see whether there’s a match for a starting pitcher capable of taking the ball for a Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3 of a postseason series. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks could be that guy, or maybe it’s Seth Lugo of the Royals, or the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Perhaps it’s one of the two big-time starters who will be under team control beyond this season, the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara or the Twins’ Joe Ryan. The Mets’ rotation was exceptional early in the year, before injuries and natural regression began to take a toll, and the team could use a boost in the front end of this group as they fight the Phillies for NL East supremacy. — Buster Olney

Which way will deadline bubble teams go? The staredown continues as deadline week begins, with perhaps as many as a half-dozen teams waiting to declare their status. “This weekend is big for a lot of teams,” said one evaluator.

The Rays, who appeared to be gathering momentum a month ago, are now just a game over .500, and given the organization’s longstanding focus on maximizing the value of their players, some rival evaluators think they could now be considering dealing some pieces away.

The St. Louis Cardinals are two games over .500, with the industry waiting to see whether they will deal closer Ryan Helsley. The expectation is that they will, given the tough NL playoff landscape. The Tigers could be interested, maybe the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers or Yankees.

The Los Angeles Angels are now five games under .500, and the presumption is that they will eventually move some players before the deadline, but the Angels don’t always operate in the way teams typically do. Taylor Ward has drawn interest from other organizations. — Olney

July 25 updates

Will the Royals trade Lugo — or extend him? Seth Lugo is an intriguing name in the trade market, but rival evaluators don’t sense the Royals are especially motivated to make a deal. Kansas City could also use this moment to explore an extension with Lugo, to keep their deep well of starting pitching intact. — Buster Olney

Angels’ deadline plans coming into focus: Any confusion about whether the Angels will add or subtract ahead of the trade deadline has seemingly cleared up in recent days, with a four-game losing streak that has them five games under .500.

The Angels are telling teams their pending free agents are available, sources with knowledge of the situation said. That includes third baseman Yoan Moncada, utility infielder Luis Rengifo, starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. Left fielder Taylor Ward, controllable through 2026, can also be had with the right deal.

The Angels famously never rebuild under owner Arte Moreno and are prone to adding even in times when they seem like long shots to contend — most notably in 2023, when they not only held on to Shohei Ohtani but also traded for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez before collapsing in August.

At this time last year, they tried to move the likes of Anderson and Rengifo but did not believe they would have received enough back to justify holding on to them through the following season. And so it is worth noting: Even if the Angels do decide to punt on 2025, their goal would be to contend again next season.

Any moves they make would probably be geared toward that. By trading away rentals, the Angels will try to use the trade deadline to add accomplished players who can help the team next year. — Alden Gonzalez

What the Astros might be looking for: The Astros’ best fit in a hitter is someone who could play second base or left field, and they can move Jose Altuve accordingly. Per FanGraphs, the Astros have a 94.5% chance to reach the postseason; they lead the Mariners by five games in the AL West. — Buster Olney

How Arizona could shape the trade deadline: The Diamondbacks informed other teams in the past that they would “probably” be dealing away players, but even after trading Josh Naylor to Seattle, it’s unclear just how far Arizona will go. If the D-Backs decided to go all-in on trading veterans, they could reshape their organization significantly, by moving free-agents-to-be Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and, of course, Eugenio Suarez.

The perception of other front offices is that Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick does not want to completely offload, especially with the Dodgers drifting back toward the pack in the NL West — and as of Thursday night, Suarez wasn’t even officially on the market.

The Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 after winning just 84 games during the regular season, won their first three games after the All-Star break, but have subsequently lost three in a row. What some rival evaluators believe is that if the D-Backs keep dealing, it’ll be because of a nudge from the front office. Arizona has been extensively scouting other organizations in preparation. — Buster Olney

White Sox starter drawing interest from contenders: About a half-dozen or more scouts will be in attendance at Rate Field on Friday night when Adrian Houser takes the mound for the White Sox. He has compiled a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for Chicago after being picked up midseason. Teams don’t believe they’ll have to give up a lot to acquire him, and he could make for a good back-end starter or depth piece for a contender. The White Sox are likely to move him at his peak, and Friday could be the final look for those who are interested. — Jesse Rogers

July 24 updates

Could Mets land this deadline’s top slugger? Eugenio Suarez could be an intriguing option for the Mets as they’ve gotten little production out of Mark Vientos at third base. And if things work out and Suarez wants to stay — and they want him to — he could also provide protection for the Mets at first base in case Pete Alonso moves on next season. The Mets rank 23rd in OPS at third, so why wouldn’t they inquire about Suarez, knowing they can hand the position back to Vientos in 2026 if they wish. — Jesse Rogers

July 23 updates

Houston is in the market for a third baseman: Add the Astros to the list of contenders looking for a third baseman. With All-Star Isaac Paredes expected to miss significant time because of what manager Joe Espada described as a “pretty serious” right hamstring strain, the Astros have begun poking around for available third basemen. One of them is the Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, who also has drawn interest from a few other clubs.

The 30-year-old represents a solid veteran option. McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, and the metrics indicate he has been one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors this season. He is under contract over the next two seasons for $32 million, so he wouldn’t be just a rental, which should raise the Rockies’ asking price. — Jorge Castillo

A big addition to the available deadline starting pitching options? A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL East teams, Cubs among teams that have talked about him. — Buster Olney

How Cubs are approaching deadline: The Cubs are looking for a starting pitcher first and foremost, but won’t part with any top prospects for rentals. They would be willing to trade a young hitter for a cost-controlled pitcher or one already under contract past this season. They are desperate to add an arm who can help while Jameson Taillon recovers from a calf injury. Bullpen games in Taillon’s place haven’t gone well. — Jesse Rogers

Will Twins trade top pitchers? Several high-profile teams are in need of bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline — including the Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers — and the Twins have two of the best available in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. The sense is that at least one of them will be traded, but those who are looking for relief help expect the asking price to be very high, partly because both of them are controllable through 2027 and partly because the Twins’ uncertain ownership situation has clouded the approach with those who are not pending free agents.

The Twins are widely expected to trade outfielder Harrison Bader, super-utility player Willi Castro, starter Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. But Jax, Duran and young starter Joe Ryan are the ones who would bring back the biggest return. The Twins are said to be listening on everyone. But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players. — Alden Gonzalez

July 22 updates

An Orioles starting pitcher to watch: It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market with a lot of teams looking for rotation help — the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest. In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his Florida home, but he doesn’t control that. O’s GM Mike Elias does. — Buster Olney

Will Cleveland deal All-Star outfielder? The player asked about the most on the Guardians’ roster is Steven Kwan, but given that he is two and a half years away from free agency, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded, according to sources. Kwan’s slash line this year: .288/.352/.398. He also has 11 stolen bases and has made consecutive All-Star appearances. — Olney

Braves not looking to move Murphy: Sean Murphy‘s name has been tossed around in trade speculation, but according to sources, he will not be available. Atlanta’s catcher is playing well this year and will be playing under a high-value contract for the next three seasons — $15 million per year from 2026 to 2028, plus a team option in ’29. And the Braves are set up well with the right-handed-hitting Murphy and left-handed-hitting Drake Baldwin perhaps sharing the catching and DH spots into the future. — Olney

Why the 2022 Cy Young winner isn’t the most in-demand Marlins starter: Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix. Alcantara’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is scary low — just 1.9 — and his ERA is 7.14. Cabrera, on the other hand, is striking out more than a batter per inning and his ERA sits at 3.61. The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams. — Jesse Rogers

How Kansas City is approaching the trade deadline: The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year — meaning they aren’t willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does.

Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 “that you’d assume he’s going to turn down,” said one rival staffer. That’ll make it more difficult for other teams to place a trade value on him: The Royals could want to market him as more than a mere rental, while other teams figure he’ll go into free agency in the fall when he turns down his option. — Olney

What the Dodgers need at the deadline: The Dodgers’ offense has been a source of consternation lately, with Max Muncy out, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman slumping, and key hitters tasked with lengthening out the lineup — Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto — also struggling.

But the Dodgers’ focus ahead of the deadline is still clearly the bullpen, specifically a high-leverage, right-handed reliever. Dodgers relievers lead the major leagues in innings pitched by a wide margin. Blake Treinen will be back soon, and Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol are expected to join him later in the season. But the Dodgers need at least one other trusted arm late in games.

It’s a stunning development, considering they returned the core of a bullpen that played a big role in last year’s championship run, then added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency. But Scott and Yates have had their struggles, and there are enough injury concerns with several others that it’s a need. — Alden Gonzalez

Which D-backs starter is most coveted? The Diamondbacks are getting as many calls — if not more — about Zac Gallen as they are for Merrill Kelly, even though the latter starting pitcher is having the better season. Teams interested in adding to their rotations still have more faith in the 29-year-old Gallen than the 36-year-old Kelly. — Rogers

Who are the White Sox looking to deal? Chicago’s Adrian Houser seems likely to move, as a second-tier starter who has performed well this season. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Rangers in May but has been very effective since joining the White Sox rotation, giving up only two homers in 57⅔ innings and generating an ERA+ of 226. Nobody is taking those numbers at face value, but evaluators do view him as a market option. The White Sox also have some relievers worth considering.

But it seems unlikely that Luis Robert Jr. — once projected as a centerpiece of this deadline — will be dealt, unless a team makes a big bet on a player who has either underperformed or been hurt this year. The White Sox could continue to wait on Robert’s talent to manifest and his trade value to be restored by picking up his $20 million option for next year, which is hardly out of the question for a team with little future payroll obligation. — Olney

Why Rockies infielder could be popular deadline option: Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the consolation prize for teams that miss out on Eugenio Suarez — if he’s traded at all. The Cubs could have interest and would pair him with Matt Shaw as a lefty/righty combo at third base. — Rogers

Does San Diego have enough to offer to make a big deal? The Padres have multiple needs ahead of the trade deadline — a left fielder, a catcher, a back-end starter. How adequately they can address them remains to be seen. The upper levels of their farm system have thinned out in recent years, and their budget might be tight.

The Padres dipped under MLB’s luxury-tax threshold last year, resetting the penalties. But FanGraphs projects their competitive balance tax payroll to finish at $263 million this year, easily clearing the 2025 threshold and just barely putting them into the second tier, triggering a 12% surcharge.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously. The Padres have several high-profile players who can hit the market this offseason — Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez — and a few others who can hit the open market after 2026. Don’t be surprised to see Preller leverage at least one of those players, and their salaries, to help fill multiple needs. — Gonzalez

Which Orioles could be on the move? Not surprisingly, Baltimore is perceived as a dealer and is expected by other teams to move center fielder Cedric Mullins, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney

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