Gators to reveal new alternate football uniform

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By Will Pantages, Special to Gatorsports.com

Twenty-five years after Ben Hill Griffin Stadium became “The Swamp,” the University of Florida football team will take the look of a Gator when they take the field on Saturday.

As the only Division I school in the country named the Gators, UF and Nike officials saw a unique opportunity that has been in the works for over two years. This marks the first time in school history that the Florida football team will stray from its traditional Orange and Blue look that is synonymous with its storied program.

Nike Football designers created and delivered a new alternate look for the team (incorporating the Nike Vapor Untouchable Speed uniform) that takes after an alligator’s armored body and channels its ability to be a master of camouflage.

 

Here are the head-to-toe details of this alternate uniform:

 Helmet

A swamp green — used for the first time — covers the helmet, which has a satin finish. The Gator Head logo appears on one side of the helmet, which is another first for Florida.

Baselayer

Florida will wear a sublimated base-layer top in royal blue with a tonal gator print extending onto the sleeves.

Jersey

Above that, the Gators will be in a swamp green jersey covered in a tonal gator print. Player numbers are orange trimmed in royal blue, while names appear in orange. A TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane, which is essentially a dense but smooth rubber) Gator logo patch sits at the center of the neck gusset.

Gloves

Custom swamp green gloves showcase royal blue straps and accents and an orange Swoosh on the back of the hand, while a tonal Gator print and the Gator logo appear on the palm over orange.

 Pants

The pants are solid swamp green with a TPU Gator logo patch on the hip.

Socks

Florida will have a swamp green Vapor Grip socks. Their strategically placed cushion (for added comfort and impact protection) has a texture that coincidentally mimics the armored skin of an alligator.

Cleats

To complete the look, the players will wear special-edition cleats that span Nike’s complete footwear offering for NCAA teams (including the latest Alpha Menace Elite and Force Savage Elite). The cleats are swamp green and covered in Gator print with chrome orange plates. The sockliners have sublimated Gator logos on them.

 

 

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69 COMMENTS

  2. What the hell is that???? Those uniforms look f*****g horrible! Jeez, green yoga pants and shirts from the clearance rack at the Gator shop. I’m begging you, Mr. Equipment Mgr., please burn those things as soon as they show up in the locker room! The team is having a hard enough time this year without getting laughed off the field wearing those things. Let’s keep our orange, blue & white combinations. Please!!

  4. I really thought this was a joke when I saw it on 247 Sports a few minutes ago. Orange, green, blue, etc. IMHO, I think these are the UGLIEST jerseys I have ever seen….Really…They make Oregon uniforms almost look traditional….I never understood why Tennessee was wearing Grey/Smoke unis and I don’t get this either. Gator Sports should provide this as a poll to vote on….I am betting it won’t come out positive…

  11. I am so sick of this guy putting us in these ridiculous helmets, uniforms etc… spend more time coaching up the players and less time with these stupid uniform changes, especially against our rivals. We are a founding member of the SEC, we don’t change our helmets and uniforms. It’s disgusting, does Alabama change their helmets, LSU, Georgia, etc… No! Especially not in big games. I’m bout done with this guy, he has no understanding of our place within the SEC and the state of Florida.

  13. Wow, those are really ugly. I guess anything for a buck. Really getting tired of the gimmicks. They wore non-traditional gear against Michigan. I don’t get it. The only tradition that endures is the Hare Krishna at the NW corner of the stadium before the game, uniforms not so much.

  14. Butt freaking ugly. Matter of fact, its pathetic and embarrassing. THIS is what the UF Football program has been become? Nike’s personal freak show?

    Bad enough that our coaching staff has turned our football program into a circus, but now Nike has to step in and dress our players for the part too?

    Good job UF and Nike.

    What next? Sagging pants hanging down below the players’ butts?

    I will be listening on the radio instead. I refuse to watch a fashion show of Nike’s latest line of vomit-wear.

  22. I’ve got to take a different point of view. I kind of like this different uniform. In a way, it will make them look like they are playing incognito. Maybe it’ll inspire the players to play better, but probably not. The team is what it is.

  23. Two years and this is what they came up with? Wow — I saw this somewhere and it’s already being considered for worst uniform ever. And that’s saying something cuz Oregon does this every single game..

  24. Going to look lik lizards out there playing. This is not the Florida brand, what’s the concept? Why the black helmet, is it a single gator eye ball? These uniforms crossed an invisible line that says we are Gators but we literally don’t dress like one, is Georgia going to go with the dog fur look? Just ridiculous. Smh

    • It’s not a black helmet, it just somewhat looks like it in the picture. They’re swamp green just like the shirts. The whole point is to look like an alligator. Strange concept for sure but who cares, it’s only for one game. Does it really matter what they’re wearing?

      • In case no one has ever noticed, alligators are BLACK not green (except in a mascot costume) If the goal was to emulate a real alligator, all they had to do was walk over to Lake Alice and actually LOOK at one! There’s a few hundred there! Go Nike!

  25. Maybe the uniforms were picked so that if we get embarrassed nobody will know it was the Gators. Be proud to wear the orange and blue. You don’t see fans showing up in camouflage. Obviously this is about money and Nike thinking that we will buy their apparel. How much more do they want to alienate the fans? Bad product on the field, coaches that give us the “we’ll fix it” PIECE, now these Halloween costumes that look like a cheap child’s version of a “predator” outfit.

  29. This is a practical joke, right? How much are the coaches getting paid by Nike to make the players wear these abominations? At least the team will have something to wear for Halloween. No treat though, all trick. And Nike tricked our Athletic Department into being the laughing stock billboard for the world’s ugliest uniform. They say that all publicity is good, but these uniforms prove otherwise. PLEASE reconsider and don’t humiliate the players and fans by wearing these cartoon get-ups. They are not “cool” or “fun”. How low our Mighty Gators have fallen to resort to this horrible distraction from their lousy performance on the field!

  32. I swear, it’s getting harder and harder to be a die hard Gator fan. Do you see Alabama doing crap like this? Who OK’d this abomination? Doesnt this team have enough negatives going for it to have this stupid looking, classless uniform added? Does someone in upper management think this is going thrill the fan base? They must be getting advice from the NFL. I am right at the “who cares anymore” point. Ridiculous.

  33. I never post to comment sections….but these uniforms are soooo bad, I had to post. These uniforms need to be destroyed. The team already has it hard enough this season. Let’s not make it worse by having everyone laugh at us for our uniforms also.

  36. Give it a break all you Mike Winter – Black JuJu wanna be’s. I like the uni’s. Make it a GREAT day and try to get a life. We have 19 and 20 year old boys playing a game. Have fun and enjoy the ride. We invest way too much time and $$$ on Gator football not to enjoy ourselves.

  38. These are ridiculous. Why can’t we have any traditions any more? First, they got rid of the traditional block F and replaced it with the silly looking slant heavy metal font F. We no longer have any traditional uniform look. We are trying to out-Oregon Oregon. I don’t think even Oregon would wear something this stupid. Sure makes me want to not make the long drive to the game. The likely beating by tamu is one thing, but to have to look at these is another. And, next year they are raising prices and the home schedule is terrible. I see a lot of empty seats in the future.

  41. This is a sad joke! How can the Gators desecrate their history and identity with these atrocious garbage uniforms? This should stop now. Someone has to pay for this. If you are going to take cash to prostitute yourself for NIKE at least make them design uniforms worthy of your school’s colors and brand. This is really disgusting and the Gator brass better realize there is a price to pay for this. Because of these uniforms I will not travel to see the game. I will not watch the game on TV and I may even not listen to the game on the radio, though I love Mick Hubert. I may choose to go to the movies or for a walk instead. This should not stand. The school has to see this is a huge mistake. As someone rightly posted above, Do you see Alabama or some other classy school with history and tradition pulling a stunt like this? Really, this is disgusting. Can you tell I am angry? I am an artist and very creative, progressive person but this is a travesty. I have been a Gator fan since 1979, lest anyone question my credentials. I went to UF in the mid 1980s and loved every minute of it. I am proud to be a Gator, through thick and thin beyond football. But this decision is very embarrassing for the school and something needs to be done. I will send this as an email to the UF President and AD as well.

  42. I cant take credit for this statement but here it is… Tradition doesn’t bring in big time recruits and history doesn’t win championships. These unis aren’t bad at all and the helmet is sick. You old fogies need to relax and let these kids have a little enjoyment. GO GATORS!!!

  44. I agree with Cblack, I kind of like these uniforms. This is a different generation, and I like the reptilian look for the Swamp. I’ve always thought our helmets needed some work, and these have a great look.
    It’s just a uniform,

  49. I like the uniforms,i think the colors could have been royal blue and orange though. it’s time to change some things up every now and then. i like the traditional uniforms,orange pants and helmet,and blue jersey’s. they are still my favorite ones. however,the recruits loved them and if you want recruits,you have to show them that you can have a little variety in uniforms and that you willing to stay relevant by keeping up with new designs. Hell, if they blow A&M out in these things,i sign a petition making these our permanent home uniforms! GO GATORS!

  52. This makes me want to puke. On behalf of my entire family of UF alumni I reject this idea. We have a long standing tradition of colors and uniforms. Our players need to be dressed like football players and not soldiers or alligators. This is stupid and the latest of series of bad decisions by the University to stray from our roots. We aren’t South Carolina or Tennessee and shouldn’t follow their lead of gimmick uniforms.

  56. Florida football is now officially irrelevant and joins the ranks of Oregon, Baylor, Kentucky, half the ACC and every other team that substitutes ridiculous alternate uniforms and helmets (the white ones are bad enough) for wins. I don’t think I’ve seen this from USC, Alabama or Clemson.

  58. I don’t think they are bad at all. I don’t like the departure from traditional unis. But, they might go a little more toward a mascot or cheerleader uni than a player’s uni. Other than that, just win.