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Bowl Season Uni Winners
Still New Combos
BAYLOR
Another new combo for the Texas Bowl! Not just the helmet - but the color combo itself had not been worn this year. Really like the yellow Baylor script helmets. The yellow/white/green combo is an absolute winner.
TEXAS TECH
Unbelievably, another new combo. The black/white/black looks really good. I only wish that the red showed up better from a distance.
ARKANSAS
Home reds against Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl. Edged out Texas because this game just looked sooo good.
TEXAS
Standard away whites fall below Texas Tech because that SEC patch really sullies the uniform. Peach Bowl patch is however better than the Liberty Bowl patch. I did not include the uni for the home CFP game in the weekly graphic (however, it is in the Texas yearly summary).
SMU
Went with modern classics for the CFP home game. Unfortunately, losing the CFP home game opener at Penn State means SMU technically did not go to a Bowl game after such a good first year in the ACC.
TEXAS A&M
For some reason went white/maroon/white for the Las Vegas Bowl. The white lid just doesn't do it for me.
TCU
Another new color combo for this year. That leaves TCU. While I appreciate they looked more like TCU, the old charcoal unis don't look good with a crome dome. This was a new uni combo for the year. By the way, I have noticed that the uni number coloring is different on the front/back and the sleeves. I am using the red on the front/back for the weekly graphics because I feel like they tell more of the story.
SWC Matchup Bowl Game!
Give Me Liberty!!! Texas Tech will play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on December 27th. Last time the two played was in 2015.
Merry Christmas to me!
Championship Losses
Both Texas and SMU had a chance to win their new conference championship in their first year in the conference. Texas had the chance to do it back-to-back. Neither was meant to be.
I was driving during the Texas game and they were never really in it - just too many missed opportunities. The SMU game was a heart breaker. Once I got to my destination, I opened a very special acquisition - see the bottom of the left column. Once the pony was opened, SMU started coming back. I held it and I pet it for good luck - and SMU came back and tied it. I set the pony down and ran out to the car so I would be ready for OT... well, you now how that ended. Crushing. Thankfully, they are still IN. This pony though is special. This would have been just a regular SMU game (they were played at the Cotton Bowl back then). And this ws no button with a ribbon, no button with aribbon and a mini pony or football, This was top of the line this guy bought for his girl. I wish I knew how much he spent.
Uni Winners of Week 15
There were only two - and both were winners!
TEXAS
Standard away whites for Texas for the SEC Championship game.
SMU
Traditional pony express look for the ACC Championship game.
Renewed Rivalry
I was in the pit at College Gameday. Really great intro. Easily got a ticket for a little over face value four hours before game time. I was at the last one (without my dad, he died two years earlier) and most of the ones before that with my dad. I HAD to be there. But I think I got it out of my system. SEC games are just too much - and it definitely does not mean more to me. Too crowded. And Aggies just pick and choose which traditions to keep ever since they joined the SEC. Stadium was emptying out before zeros on the scoreboard - two percenters! I don't like this new A&M and I think Texas has already started following in their footsteps. Too big for their britches.
As for getting there. I tried to talk myself out of it a week earlier. I had no ticket, I didn't want to deal with the crowds. I had no hotel for the night before (because I wanted to go to College Gameday). But as I was tryng to explain this to someone, I had completely talked myself into it - I was all in. After checking on RV campsites and them wanting $200 plus for me to sleep in my truck in their parking lot, I found a hidden gem. A little mom and pop in Navasota (heralded as the cleanest place people had ever stayed) for $89. Plans were set Wednesday afternoon before the Saturday game. But I did chose to drive home after the game - well, the masses have found my secret parking spot and it took me hours just to get to Navasota. Got home at 3am.
As for the ticket - I was willing to wear either team's colors since I have allegiances to both schools. But realized there would be more Aggie tickets for sale than longhorns trying to get rid of their tickpick and stubhub tickets they had listed for $2000. After gameday, I did a price check and scalpers wanting 900, Texas fan wanting $1000. Went to the MSC, sat and had some lunch next to a nice wall plug outside getting my phone fully charged and enjoyed the nice day. Around two I headed out to the breezeway and test the waters. I was amazed by how many people did not know the universal I need one ticket handsign - they thought I was selling... Most people just looked at me like I was crazy - and not a "good luck, you are crazy" look. A truly puzzled look. Maybe wondering why someone would they come if they had no tickets (which the weirdest thing people will go and just tailgate and have no tickets - SEC people are weird). And maybe just puzzled as to what I was doing... There were not tickets - no one was selling. I guess those people with tickets listed didn't bother to come. I just sat there with my finger in the air for about thirty minutes and a lady walked uo to me and asked if I needed a ticket and what I was willing to pay. I said "$300, what even is face value"? She said two something and then started telling me where it was. I told her I didn't care I would take it. She said she wasn't going to sell it to a longhorn. And then I went back to the stadium with my yes, PAPER TICKET, and took in all the march-in festivities and then went in. You know they cannot even do march-in anymore because there is no room for a track around the field. Gotta maximize the number of overpriced seats... sad.
As for who I was pulling for - I wanted Texas to win because I think they can get to CFP Champioship game and win. But having attended Texas A&M, upon arrival back in College Station something happens to you. It all comes back, fish camp, yell practice, the old traditions, and tears still flow in the stands when those things happen. I can't explain it. I did, of course, want a better game - I wanted a classic.
Uni Winners of Week 14
Still New Combos
TEXAS
Standard away whites for Texas. But oh, how good did it look against A&M again on the same field!
TEXAS A&M
Maroon Maroon White standard home combo - nothing new. But oh, how good did it look against Texas!
SMU
Traditional pony express look (except of course the gapless helmet stripes - but a pass on that).
ARKANSAS
Sadly this solid away look gets docked a few points because of lack of contrast with the snow. I know, I know - we all love snow games.
RICE
The all navy combo is a wash with Baylor this week. Both solid looks. Despite Rice usually getting docked for no pants stripes, I am getting tired of the Baylor all green uni.
BAYLOR
All green combo is a wash with Rice this year. But I am getting tired of the all green. I said what I said.
TEXAS TECH
Not a huge fan of the white pants paired with black jersey and helmet. This was a first for this combo.
TCU
Another new color combo for this year. The white jersey and pants are just so bland for TCU even when paired with a chrome dome - which really wasn't even noticeable in most photos.
HOUSTON
Different helmet decal for this new all white set. All white combo just does nothing for me. Houston, please ditch these dated half-ass pant stripes for the real deal! Pull out those practice pants for game time!
Tenth SWC Matchup
It's baaaaaack! After 13 years, Texas A&M will play Texas again. A lot has changed at Kyle Field since 2011! The series record from Winsipedia. Great article for Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine. An AMAZING video on the rivalry - if you don't understand, you will after watching this! I have lots of great clips of Texas A&M/Texas games on the twitter page.
Uni Winners of Week 13
A FIRST Ever Worn Combo!
TEXAS
Texas wins out because they look like Texas.
TEXAS TECH
There is nothing I can complain about here. Everything we are wearing here has precedent. It is a solid away set.
TEXAS A&M
All white again - but with a white facemask this time. First ever! All white one-off worn in 2014 but had a chrome ATM decal. And back in the 50s and 70s when they wore stripeless white helmets, facemasks were gray. Yes, I have a chart!
SMU
Really a wash with Baylor this week. Whites with the modern striping. Only showing of old school striping (and even still, not quite because there is no space between the stripes on the helmets) this year is twice in the traditional blue jerseys.
BAYLOR
A wash with SMU this week. Traditional whites.
RICE
Perfectly fine new color combo. So glad the gray pants are back - but how much better would this look with stripes!?!
TCU
Just go ahead and change your school colors to purple and black. It looks like TCU anyway. Technically a different combo with the black helmet.
HOUSTON
I am sorry I have to the Houston Blue unis so low. And I understand why they had to change last year's uni. But I just think they played it too safe. At a minimum, you need the classic stripes on the pants.
ARKANSAS
I should really like this - it is clean and classic. But I just cannot get into the all red...
Ninth SWC Matchup
Dead even at the 30th matchup. Last year was the first time they played since the end of the Southwest Conference. And interestingly enough, Houston won that first Big 12 conference matchup. As did Houston when they joined the Southwest Conference walking away with the first SWC conference matchup. The very first time, however, Baylor has played Hoston on the Houston campus. Very COOL game stat card for the game.
Aggie Bonfire - 25 Years
It snuck up on me. I have had a full page newspaper memorial hanging on the wall in my garage for 25 years now. Kind of fitting that the anniversary falls on the year we pick the rivalry back up. Here. It was so moving at pre-game that year how Texas and Mack Brown joined in with our pain and we were all one that day. Didn't really matter who won. Nice AP article. Great article that talks about how they build the off-campus bonfire now and how what happened in 1999 cannot happen again. Beautiful yet eerie photos. The marks around the edge of the main pole marker is the direction to the hometown of every student killed.
Uni Winners of Week 12
Only a new helmet/decal Pairing
TEXAS
Texas wins again this week.
ARKANSAS
A royal SWC matchup against Texas puts this one in second. That game was a beauty - no need even for a #WhatTheGameShouldLook Like!
TEXAS A&M
Picking the all maroon over the Baylor whites just because it is an interseting change only worn 23 times since 1950 (graphic is before week 6 when Aggies wore this same combo).
BAYLOR
Standard all white combo.
SMU
Black D unis with the modern stripes.A perfectly fine uni to wear if black is one of your school colors... it needs some red maybe - but it still manages to be SMU brand.
HOUSTON
White helmet with black decal, white jersey with red print, black pants... not a good look.
32 Years?
It has been 32 years - i I didn't realize. It all started 32 years ago when Arkansas left SWC to join the SEC to join a basketball conference because they sucked at football (well, that didn't work out so well).
Arkansas left in 1992 - 32 years ago.
I was born in 1965 - 30 years of SWC in my life time... There has been more non-SWC for me than SWC.
Eighth SWC Matchup
Storied rivalry between two old National Champs of the 60s and 70s in the era of The Game of the Century when the Southwest Conference ruled. The hatred is still there even though they have only played SIX times since the SWC died. But this year it becomes a conference rivalry again after 32 years. Clips from 1969 Game of the Century, 1989 Texas win, 1981 Arkansas win, and 2004 Texas win. Texas' last visit to Arkansas did not end well. This will be the 80th game - Texas has only played OU, Texas A&M, Baylor, Rice, and TCU, more.
And I leave you with one classic, pure gold prank call to the Texas athletic department just before the Arkansas-Texas game in 1991 trying to figure out what to do with the extra "S" in the south endzone at War Memorial! TEXASS
Uni Winners of Week 11
Three of the Four = New Combos
TEXAS
Classic WOW (white orange white). Winners this week.
RICE
First blue white white combo this year! Strong 2nd place.
TEXAS TECH
I love Mahomes - but not big on GFGS (gray for gray sake) even if they are Galvanized. Special metallic galvanized name, number, helmet stripes and decal - which are cool (and would have looked so muche better on black maybe). The red accents do really help. Special note - there is no adidias logo - just the Mahomes Gladiator logo.
TCU
While I appreciate these look much more like TCU (in fact, they are the same ones from last year) and they have the horny toad spikes. It is different and new because last time they wore it they paired the retro decal with a black matte helmet. This time they wore the frogskin purple chrome. But the spitting blood thing has got to stop. That is "all is lost" "last ditch defense" move the horny toad does. It is just dumb - and TCU loses this week (even behind the gray duds of Tech).
Uni Winners of Week 10
Yet Again New Combos!
TEXAS TECH
This one is a repeat. But I really like the end result here upsetting Iowa State. I wish the red showed up more on these.
RICE
New combo AND new decal! Oh, how I long for stripes on these pants.
ARKANSAS
Just solid.
TEXAS A&M
Actually new combo for this year . Will I ever get gray pants with stripes again?
SMU
Another new combo - but you know how I feel about the unstriped blue pants.
TCU
While a new combo this year - just so bland. And sorry, you cannot flex bland.
HOUSTON
Houston gets a mention because a newblack combo was worn. And faired better in my ranking because the helmet wasn't black - they don't have one. And they had a nice upset win.
BAYLOR
Black unis unless you are Texas Tech or another school with black as your school colors suck.
What a Great SWC Matchup!
The real trophy headed to its new home - although, I see no logo plaque applied. Also, it is bigger than I thought. Baylor stormed the field - but I never saw that other trophy in any team celebration... We all agree with this! #WhatTheGameShouldLookLike
Seventh SWC Matchup
The Revivalry. As it always will be! We are still not calling it that other thing. Pretty even - although TCU has dominated of late. There have been a lot of close games too - and we cannot forget the Bazooka walk-off.
Uni Winners of Week 9
Even More New Combos!
TEXAS TECH
New combo this year. Classic red pants paired with white jersey and black helmet bringing 1983 vibes.
BAYLOR
All green unis again but with Sailor Bear. Sailor Bear makes everything look better. Sailor Bear would even make TCU unis look better.
SMU
Same blue horse helmet from last week but paired with all modern whites. And with the blue facemask it really pops - even though it needs more red, it looks really good when you lay out nine photos from the week.
TEXAS
Just the best away whites there are.
ARKANSAS
Still solid.
RICE
New combo for this year. Old English R helmet with the white jersey and blue pants.
TCU
At least this combo looks like a TCU uniform.
TEXAS A&M
Perfectly good black uni and the script helmet is a nice touch (it is actually in their branding) IF your school colors include black. Stupid if not.
Saddle Back in Fort Worth
In fact, the saddle had to be run out onto the field when TCU ended up winning after Tech having it in control the entire second half. I knew this was gonna be a fake. Sonny's face at the end of that clip, I said sorry then - but he got the last laugh. Just sickening... TCU fans had already left the stands before they came back and won. And #WhatTheGameShouldLookLike - even though Tech was pretty close.
Sixth SWC Matchup
Battle for the Saddle. Pretty even overall. The last Tech coach to beat TCU in back-to-back years was Spike Dykes in 1987-1990.
Uni Winners of Week 8
The Return of Aggies M-W-M
TEXAS TECH
Same juicy combo from week 1.
RICE
New combo. Certainly the best looking one. Lost out to a Tech repeat because no stripes on the pants.
TEXAS
Just a great look. Too bad the play was not a good look.
BAYLOR
Solid white combo same as week 2 and 4.
TEXAS A&M
While the Aggies have worn M-W-M 91 times since 1950, they have not since 2019 (and there were lots of stripes involved then). But these are just plain as hell. Some history - they wore maroon pants in 1983 but when wearing a white jersey, they usually wore the gray pants. Around 1995 the plain maroon pants showed up and have been worn off and on in the 2000s (sometimes with disastrous piping). 2012 saw the retro double yoke stripes which included maroon pants with a thick white stripe.
SMU
The modernized blue uni. I just can't get behind it - so lacking without pant stripes. At least wear two plain white stripes - or not, don't give them any ideas.
ARKANSAS
This should look good - the white breaks up the all red. They brought the red pants back last year and wore this combo once. But it just doesn't look right for Arkansas so hopefully only once this year.
Fifth SWC Matchup
BU-TT Bowl. This is the kind that scare me. I went to Floyd Casey one year in the 90s when Tech was supposed to win - we didn't and I never went back to that stadium until they tore it down and built a new one!
Uni Winners of Week7
Everyone Else Had a Bye...
TEXAS
Classic white away uni - looks even better with gold accessories! Texas edges out Rice because of the gold hat. #OUstillSucks.
RICE
New combo for the Houston tribute uni. Basic Luv Ya Owls Oilers jersey paired with no stripe navy pants and the Oilers helmet deco from last year on a navy helmet. Looked great! Docked points for no pants stripes.
That was fun!
Was Arch's dad foreshadowing? Big corn dog theme running this year. Hat is coming home to Texas. And a little field theatrics in response to Baker a few years back. The annual one side of the stadium emptying out - I like it when this side empties out. Did OU score a touchdown? This horns down of course never gets old. And... well played, Texas!
