College Football’s Top 10 Ugliest Helmets

10. Iowa State
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  • This offseason has seen a massive makeover of college football helmets from Missouri to Rutgers to Idaho. But there are still plenty of others that need changing. We look at the Top 10 Ugliest FBS Helmets. Thankfully, alternate lids like these are not included.

    Let's start with the Cyclones of Iowa State. First of all, while "K-State" works for Kansas State, "I-State" certainly does not work for Iowa State. And the helmet itself is a colossal bore with no personality or connection to the school.

    While cheesy, the old helmet logo with team mascot Cy the Cardinal wrapped inside a twister was unique to Iowa State. How ironic that a helmet emphasizing “I” can so easily blend in to a crowd of non-descript head wear.

    Photo Credit: Anthony Gruppuso/US Presswire

  • The University of Akron administration opted to make the school’s mascot a kangaroo, named Zippy, in 1953. She’s now a source of pride among students and alums after being derided for many years.

    Alas, it just doesn’t look like she belongs on a football helmet. It’s also hard to tell that she’s a kangaroo. A quick glance and you’d think she’d be anything from a deer to a donkey. And the back of the 'roo crossing the "A" is just ill-conceived. Perhaps an Akron creative arts major can create a demon kangaroo for the school’s teams.

    Photo Credit: Eric P. Mull/US Presswire

  • KU? More like “pee-yoo” when it comes to the Jayhawks’ helmets.

    For starters, the choice not to interlock the letters is a curious one. You’re not trying to showcase proper penmanship. You’re trying to create an insignia, the college team’s equivalent of a coat of arms. And if you’re making a letter-centric helmet, be more creative with your font choice than Trajan (we miss the days of Circus font at KU).

    At this point, everyone associates Kansas athletics with the goofy Jayhawk bird. Why not keep those throwback uniforms and helmets the team wore against Mizzou a few years back? They had something the current helmets don’t: Charm.

    Photo Credit: John Rieger/US Presswire

  • The Blazers’ 23–17 upset of LSU in Tiger Stadium back in 1999 was certainly shocking. But it doesn’t merit a facsimile of the Bayou Bengals’ helmets. Everything from the angling of the three letters to the roaring mascot below is a blatant rip-off.

    Few sports teams can claim to have a dragon as their mascot, yet it’s barely visible on the current helmet. It looks like a green version of Mushu from Mulan.

    Why not do away with the letters and play up the dragon (and flames) even more? A team like UAB that’s rebuilding from the ground up has nothing to lose.

    Photo Credit: Marvin Gentry/US Presswire

  • Two years ago, UTSA was seriously considering an orange field for its nascent football program. So we shouldn’t be surprised at their lack of aesthetics with helmets as well.

    We can’t tell the difference between the birds on UTSA’s and the Baltimore Ravens’ helmets. They’re supposed to be two different types of birds. And the attempt to cram “UTSA Roadrunners” below that makes it look way too cluttered.

    Our suggestion: Go with “The Road Runner” from the classic cartoons but in UTSA’s dark blue and orange colors. It’s retro, it’s funny and everyone would both recognize it and talk about it. Hey, the idea of using a cartoon for a mascot worked for Oregon.

    Photo Credit: MySanAntonio.com

  • No one will confuse the Eagles — a perennial MAC bottom-feeder — with a big-time football program. But EMU does have free reign to change their helmet so it looks like a college team’s and not a high school’s.

    If they want to keep just the “E” on there, that’s fine. But no one is forcing them to use plain block lettering. A better idea would be to adopt the same (or a similar) helmet as the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. The wing design is tried and true, and since EMU already has the same color scheme, no one would bat an eye.

    After all, no one raised a fuss when Duke football decided it was going to look like a Colts carbon copy.

    Photo Credit: Rob Christy/US Presswire

  • In Kent State’s defense, it’s hard for us to envision what else a “Golden Flash” would look like. (We ask our readers to abstain from menopause jokes. Thank you.)

    That being said, helmet designs are all about taking an identity and running with it. Kent State can’t seem to figure out whether it wants its nickname to convey the speed of lightning or the swooping beauty of a bird. The result is a hideous bird-bolt.

    They should go back in time and bring back the helmets from 1966. While the lightning flash is a little overly reminiscent of Air Force, the color scheme is very old-school San Diego Charger-ish. And those are some of the most beloved football uniforms ever.

    Photo Credit: John David Mercer/US Presswire

  • That’s supposed to be a Jaguar? The first thing we think of is the title character from The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein.

    For how high it is on this list, South Alabama doesn’t have to do much to fix this. As it currently looks, the white logo on an all-white helmet looks like an avatar designed in a Yahoo! Fantasy Football league. Making the helmet a dark shade of blue would correct that immediately.

    If we had more money in our redesign budget, we’d also make the jaguar much more angular. Right now it looks like it’s yawning, not growling. We know it's USA's first year in the FBS, but at least act the part.

    Photo Credit: Mark Dolejs/US Presswire

  • Bowling Green has changed its helmet twice in the last decade and yet it’s still got one of the worst-looking lids in the entire FBS.

    When used correctly, orange can be a great color for a helmet (see: Tennessee). But between the brown facemasks, ugly logo and hideous helmet stripe that only goes halfway down the back, it’s time for the Falcons athletic department to go back to the drawing board – again.

    How about switching to a white face mask, going to a normal helmet stripe and just using the bird logo without the "BG"? You're welcome.

    Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski/US Presswire

  • A memo to the Bulldogs: Just because your most famous football alum (Terry Bradshaw) played for you 40+ years ago doesn’t mean your helmets have to look like they’re stuck in that era.

    The map outline of a state will never be a good look. It doesn’t seem “retro” so much as “dated.” Same with the giant “T” for Tech and the white line splitting the middle of the helmet. As for the cherry-red lid? Yeah, that can go too.

    The outpouring of affection over the recent passing of the school’s live mascot, Tech XX, is a reminder that they are Bulldogs through and through. How about acknowledging that on the helmets, then?

    Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/US Presswire

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12:12 PM on 8/20/2012

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  • newtster

    what about alabama? or Penn State? both “dated” not “retro. dude, u r a joke

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZROHFHRJL5FLJGWQYPPJWXYUUU Russell

    you are so wrong about louisiana tech’s helment,  keep it bulldogs!!!

    • JheriCurl

      I agree, La Tech’s lid and uniforms are VERY nice. Simple, colorful and the helmet logo says it all.

  • bettertastethanyou

    disagree with everyone but akron, kent state, and usa

  • Brauny1280

    I seriously hope you don’t have a journalism degree. This article could’ve been written by an elementary student. Did you do any type of research or did you just google college football helmets?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EO45SUVQJNAX5ZNOYRX2ZXS42Y dae5

    RE:  EMU – Eagle wings would be cool but I fear it would come off more like a rip off of the Philadelphia Eagles…  Plus, there are already a few high schools in the Detroit Metro area (where EMU resides) that have or have had the wings…  I’d much rather have EMU return to being the Hurons (even if they have to connect it to the Huron River which passes north and east of campus)…

  • Timh Durrett

    All I can say is, everyone is entitled to their opinion, not matter if they know what they are talking about, or not!

  • MamaTinTexas

    Y’all can say what you want about the Dawg’s helment but I love it and feel a bit of pride whenever I see it.  My boys are in the Band of Pride and I am happy to share with anyone who will listen that both my boys go to school there.  Dawg’s leave it the way it is and don’t listen to the jealous rantings of those who don’t know anything about the Dawg’s!

  • Sean

    Who ever came up with this list is a ding dong.  Iowa St, Kansas, and La. Tech are probably some of the better helmets in college football. 

  • LaTechBullDawgs!

    So you’re telling me that Maryland’s football didn’t earn the top spot, much less a top 10 spot. Quit hating on non-AQ schools and do some real journalism. There aren’t many who consider this a legitimate sporting website anyway. Go LaTech! You’ll see them busting the BCS up this year.

    http://crabcakesports.wordpress.com/tag/maryland-terps-football-uniforms/

  • IrishDude

    I always thought LA Tech’s helmets were pretty suite.

    • JheriCurl

      Sweet suite? ; ) Just kidding, yes they are nice!

  • Wcwsr71295

    you need to get glasses!!!!!!!!  GO BULLDOGS!!!!!!! YOU LOOK GREAT AND ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING GREAT come August 30th

  • Unconluv

    Penn State shoul’ve won this contest.

    • Guest

      Thank you! I get that some people get all hot and bithered by tradition, but I keep seeing penn st mentioned as “the greatest uniform in college football”… dude, its a plain white helmet! it couldnt be less interesting! same for bama or anyone who values tradition for tradition’s sake. and you couldn’t be more wrong about bgsu. i hate it when people tee off on a team because they use orange, and the use tennessee as the exception to that rule. bgsu has a unique and interesting look. Same with la tech. same with emu… try actualy looking at the helmets nstead of just thinking “that’s not normal! ewwwwww…”

      • peter1147

        Everybody knows the Miami Hurricanes have the best helmets !!!!

  • Frog

    LSU…looks like a junior high kid designed them.  Penn State and Alabama are soooo boring.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QY23NCD4W2ZOHSCBORHXTCFYOM John

      Boring as notching another championship.

  • Friedrichs smith

    I have really Like it Helmets .
     http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3701427#post3701427

  • http://twitter.com/veryphil Phil Hasenkamp

    This is the dumbest post I’ve ever read.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/4KYUFMG53CZF6GRFOFDXNZNMDQ Jerry S

    I like most of your list and obviously everyone has their own opinion but, La Tech has one of my favorite helmets and unis in all of football.  I like Iowa State and KU’s helmets, too.  Though they have both had better in their histories.

  • swagsurf

    Iowuh state is even worse if you consider they copied usc’s colors to come up with their uni’s. not even istate’s actual colors.

    • JheriCurl

      Not sure why they’d want to copy a uniform that sucks. ;) But I think I did read they copied parts of it, however, I am pretty sure that is ISU’s colors, garnett and gold.

    • ralph

      ISU didn’t copy USC’s unis The I in the State is not good, but neither is the team. At least they are not wearing the Fred Flintstone helmets on Steeler uniforms that U of I wears in Iowa City

  • http://www.facebook.com/ryan.tungate.7 Ryan Tungate

    wow… first off, tennesse doesn’t have prange helmets. they are white with ornage. second, bgsu has a cool helmet. third, the block E on eastern michigan’s helmet looks classy. why go with a trendy font that will only scream “2011-2013″ in 5 years.

    i’m with some of the others. penn st has a plain white helmet. boring. alabama’s helmets are boring.

    and tennessee, for the record, is not the exception that makes orange look good. they are the rare orange that looks bad. orange is a great color. yellow is the color that sucks.

    sorry. poor list

  • Helmut

    If you want an ugly helmet just go to Arizona State. It looks like a giant dildo with wings. And has nothing to do with their mascot, Sparky the Sun Devil.

  • La Man

    Everyone wants to be #1. At least La Tech is #1 in something. Most schools cant clain that.

  • JheriCurl

    I’ve always loved the simplicity of NU’s helmets. You can’t go wrong, USUALLY!, with a base white helmet and something that screams LOOK AT ME than the color red. NU had better never change their helmet or their uniforms, classy and gorgeous.

  • JheriCurl

    Maybe a change in design w/ the helmets and uniforms would help. That old stereotype, you play how you look, is sometimes accurate in that it acts like a placebo for youngsters.

  • John Childs

    Wait till the new Oregon State helmet debuts ( if it does). It will immediately make the bottom ten

  • Shorty

    Iowa state has a great look. but the Hawkeyes have the best helmet in the game!!

  • Rickster

    apparently you don’t like traditional old school helmets like LT’s or Iowa States.
    why make fun of theirs and NOT put Nebraska, Alabama or Penn State on your list? Those are 3 of the most plain helmets anywhere. Too afraid of the backlash from the fan bases of 3 powerhouse programs? So lets pick on the lesser schools…right?
    Grow a pair