# Best College Football Helmets
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [September 24, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935 "2010-09-24T22:09:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/1 "2010-09-24T22:09:35Z")
Objectively, [Washington State](http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slideshows/171/slideshow_17191/display_image.jpg?x=14984) has to be near the top of most people list.
The Cougar morphed into WSU is a cool design.
---
### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/2 "2010-09-24T22:20:46Z")
[http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michigan\_helmet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://humor.gunaxin.com/here-comes-the-wolverine/21249&h=600&w=600&sz=44&tbnid=ApiFLOnu\_QeSXM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU%2Bof%2BMichigan%2Bhelmet&zoom=1&q=U+of+Michigan+helmet&usg=\_\_sHk6zUyC1Dl5Udekeo4Ak5i4UB0=&sa=X&ei=FCOdTMqhBZbenQfFncSfDQ&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAA](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michigan_helmet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://humor.gunaxin.com/here-comes-the-wolverine/21249&h=600&w=600&sz=44&tbnid=ApiFLOnu_QeSXM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU%2Bof%2BMichigan%2Bhelmet&zoom=1&q=U+of+Michigan+helmet&usg=__sHk6zUyC1Dl5Udekeo4Ak5i4UB0=&sa=X&ei=FCOdTMqhBZbenQfFncSfDQ&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAA)
Still number one in football fans hearts for generations.
---
### Author:  [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/3 "2010-09-24T22:36:18Z")
My #1 is objective. Yours, no so much.
---
### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/4 "2010-09-24T22:48:01Z")
[Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
---
### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/5 "2010-09-24T22:59:40Z")
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> [Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
Yeah - nothing says “team” like “individual number”.
[http://agency.nd.edu/portfolio/raised-helmet/](http://agency.nd.edu/portfolio/raised-helmet/)
---
### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/6 "2010-09-24T23:30:35Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> > [@Ogre](#):
> >
> > [Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
>
> Yeah - nothing says “team” like “individual number”.
>
> [http://agency.nd.edu/portfolio/raised-helmet/](http://agency.nd.edu/portfolio/raised-helmet/)
Well, they’re certainly _playing_ like a team well enough, so I’m willing to give them some leeway.
---
### Author:  [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/7 "2010-09-25T00:04:36Z")
At least the Cougs are winning at SOMETHING!
Section 8, Row L, Seat 13. Hope things don’t get too ugly tomorrow.
---
### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/8 "2010-09-25T00:31:59Z")
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> Well, they’re certainly _playing_ like a team well enough, so I’m willing to give them some leeway.
Fair point. 🙂 Also fair: Alabama definitely has a unique helmet - the numbers are pretty weird to those outside the state, though. They’ve also picked a color that doesn’t really stand out - that’s not good or bad, but it sets them apart, and I give them props for that. I definitely give bonus points to any school that refuses to redesign their helmet or regular uniforms in order to attract players (I’m looking at you, Oregon State).
---
### Author:  [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/9 "2010-09-25T01:02:56Z")
Talk about serendipitous. I know I’m biased (see username) but [this article](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/wires/09/24/2060.ap.fbc.dandy.dozen.helmets.0888/) was just released on [SI.com](http://SI.com). Michigan #1!
Now who’s being objective?
---
### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/10 "2010-09-25T01:24:48Z")
[Thread over.](http://www.pennstatecentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/penn-state-football-practice.jpg)
---
### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/11 "2010-09-25T01:46:34Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> [Thread over.](http://www.pennstatecentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/penn-state-football-practice.jpg)
They should have blue lettering that say `Helmet` on them.
---
### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/12 "2010-09-25T19:24:43Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> > [@Ogre](#):
> >
> > Well, they’re certainly _playing_ like a team well enough, so I’m willing to give them some leeway.
>
> Fair point. 🙂 Also fair: Alabama definitely has a unique helmet - the numbers are pretty weird to those outside the state, though. They’ve also picked a color that doesn’t really stand out - that’s not good or bad, but it sets them apart, and I give them props for that. I definitely give bonus points to any school that refuses to redesign their helmet or regular uniforms in order to attract players (I’m looking at you, Oregon State).
Sometimes, just sometimes, Alabama’s overall conservatism has some good side-effects. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/13 "2010-09-25T21:42:38Z")
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> [Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
Most teams are not putting numbers on their helmets. Their players can already count.
---
### Author:  [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/14 "2010-09-25T22:40:49Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> [Thread over.](http://www.pennstatecentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/penn-state-football-practice.jpg)
Agreed. Best uniforms in all of football, at any level.
---
### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/15 "2010-09-25T23:19:58Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> > [@Ogre](#):
> >
> > [Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
>
> Most teams are not putting numbers on their helmets. Their players can already count.
We can too. 4 and 0, for instance.
Roll Tide.
---
### Author:  [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/16 "2010-09-26T00:07:49Z")
Ironically Penn State used to have squad numbers on their helmets as well, I think up until the 70’s. I don’t know if their numbers on helmets predated Alabama or not. The Penn State helmet numbers were considerably blockier than Alabama’s, and I’m not convinced it was a great look…either way, the helmets are better for the numbers being off.
[Here’s a pic of Penn State’s helmet number era.](http://www.orangebowl.org/images/timeline/Photo-_0032_1974.jpg) Apparently the numbers were added to the helmets to make the players more identifiable on TV!
---
### Author:  [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/17 "2010-09-26T00:30:01Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michigan\_helmet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://humor.gunaxin.com/here-comes-the-wolverine/21249&h=600&w=600&sz=44&tbnid=ApiFLOnu\_QeSXM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU%2Bof%2BMichigan%2Bhelmet&zoom=1&q=U+of+Michigan+helmet&usg=\_\_sHk6zUyC1Dl5Udekeo4Ak5i4UB0=&sa=X&ei=FCOdTMqhBZbenQfFncSfDQ&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAA](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michigan_helmet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://humor.gunaxin.com/here-comes-the-wolverine/21249&h=600&w=600&sz=44&tbnid=ApiFLOnu_QeSXM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU%2Bof%2BMichigan%2Bhelmet&zoom=1&q=U+of+Michigan+helmet&usg=__sHk6zUyC1Dl5Udekeo4Ak5i4UB0=&sa=X&ei=FCOdTMqhBZbenQfFncSfDQ&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAA)
> Still number one in football fans hearts for generations.
Best by far.
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> [Simple](http://sportsnickel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/alabama_helmet.jpg), elegant, perfect.
:rolleyes:
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> [Thread over.](http://www.pennstatecentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/penn-state-football-practice.jpg)
Thread was over at post 2
---
### Author:  [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/18 "2010-09-26T01:08:25Z")
The club team at UM-Flint has an interesting variation on the theme: [Link.](http://www.mlive.com/sports/flint/index.ssf/2009/07/umflint_to_field_club_football.html)
---
### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-college-football-helmets/554935/19 "2010-09-26T06:47:25Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#):
>
> > [@Casey1505](#):
> >
> > [Thread over.](http://www.pennstatecentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/penn-state-football-practice.jpg)
>
> Agreed. Best uniforms in all of football, at any level.
Thirded. But I wouldn’t be broken up if they reverted to putting numbers on them, a la Alabama.
ETA: Duke beat me to the observation/historical reference.