I’m so damn bored.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life for almost everyone and fortunately for me, the biggest change is that I don’t/didn’t get to write about Michigan State making an NCAA Tournament run or spring football and instead have to find other ways to generate content. That’s not too tough. Compared to many it’s down right easy. Today I’m going to cure my boredom for a moment, and probably give you something to get fired up about, by ranking Michigan State football uniforms.
I’m going to go through the entirety of Michigan State football to find a top ten list. The list will include regular uniforms as well as alternates. In some cases it can be tough to find good pictures of certain, older uniforms, so I’ll do my best to be inclusive of the entirety of Michigan State’s history, but this list will probably slant modern because of the leaps and bounds made in uniform design over the last two decades.
If and when you disagree with my rankings, that’s great. Stay inside and lob comments at me on whatever social media platform you prefer, as long as you’re practicing social distancing!!
With that said, let’s get to the rankings
10. 1999-2000 Uniforms
Let’s start the list with some love for the old Reebok uniforms. They aren’t my favorites of the bunch, but the triple-striped helmets were a big upgrade on the boring single stripes they replaced and help set the tone for the sleek tapered stripes of the modern age. The green uniforms with white pants was a good look, as were the all whites. I also am a fan of the Spartan head on the pants as well as the three stripes down the side of the pants. Not the best uniforms, but worthy of making the top ten.
9. 1983-1993 Home greens
Nostalgia will buoy these uniforms for some. This might be the only uniform on the list with a block S on the helmet and that’s not a mistake. Considering the era of sleeves these were born in, MSU’s three stripes on each sleeve are a pretty cool look. These kind of reming me of hockey sweaters. There’s definitely a lot of crossover between the two. White pants with a think green stripe down the side have held on in the uniform game and for good reason.
8. 2010’s All white with green shoulders
Some people hated these uniforms, but I thought they were pretty good. All white is a clean look and the green shoulders on these weren’t too overbearing. They had some character. The move to the modern font and darker shade of green are both pluses for me.
7. 1977 Spartan logo helmets
These are included specifically because they are the first MSU helmets to incorporate the modern Spartan head logo, which is objectively the best helmet logo MSU has ever had. It’s important to know your history, folks, and these helmets set the tone for many great helmets of the future.
6. 2011 Nike pro combats
I feel like the 2011 pro combats have a mostly positive rating among Spartan fans. I know some people absolutely love them and some fans are a bit sour on them. I lean more towards the side of loving them, but they aren’t my absolute favorite alternate uniforms. I definitely like them, but remember being a touch underwhelmed when they were unveiled in 2011. Perhaps that’s on me for having such high expectations.
5. 1982 White uniforms
I didn’t know these uniforms existed until I was researching this post and now I love them. In researching it was tough to distinguish what exactly switched and when, but it seems like for just the 1982 season, MSU wore these green pants with their white away tops. Other than that, home or away, Michigan State wore variations of white pants during much of the 1980s. I don’t know what it is, but the green pants with the stripes go really well with the white tops and it’s just a great look.
4. Modern green on green on green
I absolutely love MSU’s current uniforms. The shade of green is perfect. The flat green helmets are really cool. The tapered stripe on the helmets is great. Among my favorites of the modern uniforms is the green on green on green home look. Green helmets, uniforms, and pants. I’m not sure when MSU first wore this look (2013 maybe?) but it’s among their very best combinations.
3. 1965 Uniforms
The 1960s were a very important era for Michigan State football. For on-the-field performance, we know about the enormous successes. But in the uniform game, this is when MSU made a couple of huge developments. First, they first put “MICHIGAN STATE” on the jerseys in 1964. That’s a huge moment. Second, in 1965 MSU replaced numbers on the side of the helmets with the original Spartan logo. That’s massive. Those two things have been the standard bearers for the top MSU home and away uniforms ever since.
2. 2015 Bronze alternates
These are my favorite alternates and are just incredibly cool uniforms. I wish Michigan State would have broken them out more often. I don’t care if I take heat for this. The dark bronze helmets are perfect. They’re the best helmet MSU has ever had. The jersey and pants stay true to MSU with green being the featured player, but the black and bronze are perfect complements. I also love the “MSU” on the shoulders. The uniforms look like something you’d find in Halo 2 and as someone who grew up on that game, that’s what I’m looking for.
1. Storm Trooper
Speaking of outer space pop culture uniforms – The Storm Troopers are the best look MSU football has ever had. White helmet, white uniform, white pants. Murdered out white. It is such a clean look. They’re bright and sharp and the heavy green serves as a perfect complement. If I were in charge, Michigan State would wear the all white uniforms at every applicable moment. (Also, the potential for an all white uniforms with just touches of NEON on it….*chef’s kiss*).
