ILLINOIS	IOWA	MINNESOTA
"Fighting Illini"	"Hawkeyes"	"Golden Gophers"
Champaign, IL	Iowa City, IA	Minneapolis, MN

NEBRASKA	NORTHWESTERN	PURDUE
"Cornhuskers"	"Wildcats"	"Boilermakers"
Lincoln, NE	Evanston, IL	West Lafayette, IN

WISCONSIN
"Badgers"
Madison, WI

Historical Helmets

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

c.early 1960s - 1970; September 6, 2008	1971 - 1976	1977 - 1979

1980 - 1982	1983 - 1987	1988

	'E'	'B'
1989 - 2004	2005 - September 1, 2012	2012

'C'	'A'	'D'
2012 - 2013	2013	2013
		*see note 1 below

'F'	'G'	'H'
2014 - 2016	2014 - 2016	2014 - 2016

'I'	'J'	'K'
2014 - 2015	2014	2015

'L'	'M'	'N'
2016	2016 - 2017	2017

'O'	'P'	'Q'
2017 - 2020	2018 - 2020	2018 - 2020

'R'	'S'	'T'
2018	2020	2021

'U'	'V'	'W'
2022	2023 -	2023 -

During recent years Illinois has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: V-V-V; V-V-V; V-V-V; W-V-V
• 2022: T-T-T; T-T-T; T-T-T; U-T-T; T (the last game being vs Mississippi State in the Reliaquest Bowl at Tampa, FL)
• 2021: T (entire season)
• 2020: S-P-O; P-O-Q; P-P
• 2019: P-P-O; O-R-R; Q-P-P; P-P-P; O (the last game being vs California in the Redbox Bowl at Santa Clara, CA)
• 2018: P-P-P; P-O-Q; O-P-O; P-R-R
• 2017: N-N-N; N-O-N; O-M-O; N-N-N
• 2016: G-G-F; L-G-L; L-M-G; G-H-H
• 2015: G-F-G; G-G-F; I-H-G; K-F-G
• 2014: F-F-F; F-G-G; H-I-G; J-F-F; F (last game being vs Louisiana Tech in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl at Dallas, TX)
• 2013: A-A-A; C-A-A; A-C-C; D-D-D
• 2012: E-B-B; B-C-B; B-C-B; B-C-C

Many years ago I received a rather low-quality photograph from a visitor to this website which supposedly showed a 1969 Illinois football helmet with the college football centennial "100" logo on the back side of the helmet. Since that time the university has digitized its old yearbooks and published them on the internet; I was unable to locate any photographs in the 1970 yearbook (which would contain photographs from the 1969 football season) showing the "100" decal in use that year; so the earlier report may have been erroneous. If so, the above are apparently all the different helmet designs used by Illinois during the period covered by this website, though it is possible that some others were used during the very early 1960s. The first design shown above was used at least as early as 1962.

*1 Illinois used a special helmet decal during the last three games of the 2013 season (first worn November 16 vs Ohio State); the logo depicted ten white stars arranged in the shape of an "I" inside an outline of the state of Illinois. The ten stars represented ten former football team members who also served in the military and lost their lives during World War II or the Vietnam War. The ten were identified as John Berner, Tony Butkovich, Bruce Capel, Dick Good, Ralph Hathaway, James McDonald, Paul Milosevich , George Rettinger, Frank Rokusek, and Bob Wilson.

Return to top of page

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

1959? - 1961	1962 - 1964	1965 - 1966

1966? - c.1972	c.1973 - 1975	1976 - 1982
*see note 6 below

1983	1984 - 1990	1990 (end of season)
		*see note 1 below

1991 - 1995	1996	1997 - 2000

2001	November 19, 2005; November 17, 2007	2005 - 2007

December 31, 2007 - 2010	September 10, 2011; additional games 2011-2012	2002 - 2004; 2011 - 2012
	*see note 2 below

'A'	'B'	'C'
2013 - 2016	2013 - 2014	2013 - 2017
*see note 3 below

'D'	'E'	'F' (and 'F1')
October 1 - 8, 2011; 2013 - 2015	2013	2013 - 2014
		*see note 4 below

'G'	'H'	'I'
2014; 2016	2014 - 2016	2015 - 2017
*see note 5 below

'J'	'K'	'L'
2015 - 2016	2015 - 2016	2015

'M'	'N'	'O
2015 - 2016	2016	2016

'P'	'Q'	'R'
2017	2017	2017 - 2021

'S'	'T'	'U'
2017 - 2018	2017	2017

'V'	'W'	'X'
2017 - 2019; 2021	2018 - 2019	2019
	*see note 7 below

'Y'	'Z'	'AA'
2020	2021	2022 -

'AB'
2021 -

During recent years Indiana has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: AA-AA-AA; AB-AB-AA; AA-AA-AA; AA-AA-AA
• 2022: AA-AA-AA; AA-AB-AA; AA-AA-AA; AA-AA-AB
• 2021: R-R-AB; R-R-R; R-R-R; R-R-V
• 2020: R-R-R; R-R-Y; R-R (the last game being vs Mississippi in the Outback Bowl at Tampa, FL)
• 2019: R-R-V; R-R-X; R-V-W; R-R-V; R (the last game being vs Tennessee in the Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, FL)
• 2018: R-R-V; S-R-V; W-V-V; R-R-V
• 2017: P-Q-R; R-C-Q; S-I-T; C-V-U
• 2016: M-A-J; C-G-N; O-C-I; K-A-H1; G (the last game being vs Utah in the Foster Farms Bowl at Santa Clara, CA)
• 2015: A-H-I; J-D-A; C-I-K; L-A-M; C (the last game being vs Duke in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2014: B-F-G; C-D-G; C-A-C; A-G-H
• 2013: A-B-C; C-D-E; A-F-C; C-A-F1

*1 Indiana switched to black facemasks by at least the last game of the 1990 season - vs Auburn in the Peach Bowl at Atlanta, GA. I do not know if these were used for any earlier games during 1990.

*2 First worn during the 2011 home game vs Virginia; subsequently worn September 24, 2011 (at North Texas), October 22, 2011 (at Iowa), November 19, 2011 (at Michigan State), and September 8, 2012 (at Massachusetts).

*3 Helmet design 'A' features a "logo" on its left side depicting a torch surrounded by nineteen stars - a design which is present on the Indiana state flag (though different colors are used on the flag). The right side features a white "IU" logo like that of the "2002-2004; 2011-2012" design shown above.

*4 Helmet design "F1" is identical to "F" but with numerals only on the left side; on the right side is a crimson "IU" logo (like that of design 'E').

*5 Helmet design "G" uses the torch and stars "logo" on its left side only; on the right side is a crimson "IU" logo (like that of design 'E').

*6 During at least some games in 1969 Indiana's helmets were adorned with the college football centennial "100" logo; the logo was worn on the back of the helmet, towards the bottom (photo below from Purdue's 1970 yearbook showing the Indiana helmet). The football shape was probably blue.

*7 During Indiana's October 13, 2018 home game vs Iowa the number 44 was worn on the left side of each helmet in memory of former Indiana football player George Taliaferro (1927 - 2018); the white "IU" logo (like that of design 'R') was worn on the right side during this game. 44 was Taliaferro's uniform number during his football career at Indiana.

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

1958 - 1964; September 25, 2010	1965	1966 - 1970
		*see note 2 below

1971	1972 - 1973	1974 - 1976

1977 - 1978	November 2, 1991; December 29, 1996	September 4, 2004; September 8, 2012
	*see note 3 below

November 5, 2011; November 1, 2014; November 11, 2017; November 16, 2019; December 27, 2019	November 10, 2012	September 12, 2015
*see note 4 below	*see note 5 below	*see note 6 below

November 4, 2017	November 10, 2018	October 12, 2019
*see note 7 below	*see note 8 below

1979 -
*see note 1 below

An unconfirmed report was received years ago indicating that Iowa used a version of the college football centennial "100" decal in 1969 but no such decal is visible in any of the photographs that I have seen (including those in the university yearbook) showing Iowa helmets during the 1969 season.

*1 From (I think) 1985 through 1992, Iowa Head Coach Hayden Fry added to his team's helmet design a small, circular yellow decal containing the letters "ANF" in black; the letters stand for "America Needs Farmers". The decals were apparently always placed high up on the right side of the helmet, about midway between the hawkeye decal and the central stripe. The "ANF" decal was slightly less than half the size of the hawkeye decal during this time period. Coach Fry also had his players wear a small American flag decal for a season or two around the time of the Persian Gulf War; in the two photographs that I have of these helmets, the flag is placed opposite the "ANF" decal on the left side of the helmet, and is roughly the same size as the "ANF".

Iowa began to use the "ANF" decals again in 2009, and they have apparently been in use for nearly all of the team's games since then. They were not present during the games of September 25, 2010, September 8, 2012, November 10, 2012, and November 4, 2017. The "ANF" decals in use since 2009 are much smaller than those used during the 1985-1992 period. Below is a representation of the right side of an Iowa helmet with the "ANF" decal of the 2009-present period.

*2 During at least part of the period when this design was in use, some players wore decals on the sides of their helmets; the decals were a black version of the same one shown on the 1972-1973 helmet design. These were apparently presented as "awards" of some sort, and 1968 and 1969 are the only years from which I have seen any dated photographs of these special decals.

*3 Iowa removed all decals from its football helmets for the 1991 game at Ohio State, in recognition of the victims of a campus shooting; and again during the December 29, 1996 appearance in the Alamo Bowl vs Texas Tech, in memory of the family of one of the team's members, who were involved in a fatal traffic accident while en route to the game.

*4 On November 5, 2011 and November 11, 2017 Iowa used helmets which were "blank" on the left side but had a hawkeye logo with an American flag color scheme on the right side (as depicted below).

On November 1, 2014 Iowa again used helmets with a "blank" left side; these had a hawkeye logo with a camouflage pattern on the right side (as depicted below).

On November 16, 2019, November 27, 2020, November 13, 2021, November 12, 2022, and November 11, 2023 Iowa used helmets with a "blank" left side; these had a hawkeye logo with a different American flag colorization on the right side (as depicted below).

During Iowa's appearance in the Holiday Bowl (vs Southern California) at the end of the 2019 season the team wore helmets which were "blank" on both sides, in memory of former Head Coach Hayden Fry who had died ten days earlier; the yellow stripe and "ANF" decal were present during this game.

*5 Worn during the 2012 home game against Purdue. The black hawkeye logo is present on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a hawkeye logo with an American flag color scheme (as shown below).

*6 The number "9" was worn on the left side of each Iowa helmet during the team's 2015 game at Iowa State in memory of former team member Tyler Sash, who had died four days earlier at age 27; 9 had been Sash's uniform number during his career at Iowa. The traditional hawkeye logo remained in place on the right side of each helmet during this game.

*7 Uniform numerals are present on the left side only of this design; a hawkeye logo adorns the right side (as shown below).

*8 During Iowa's November 10, 2018 home game against Northwestern the number 24 was worn on the left side of each helmet in memory of former Iowa football player Nile Kinnick, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1939 and lost his life while serving in the US Navy in 1943. 24 had been Kinnick's uniform number during his football career at Iowa. On the right side of this helmet design is a hawkeye logo with an American flag color scheme (as represented in note 4 above; the version used in 2011 and 2017).

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

1963 - 1965	1959 - 1962; 1966	1967
*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below	*see note 3 below

1967	1968	1969

1970	1971	1972 - 1981

1982 - 1990	1991	1992 - 1996

1997 - 2000	November 14, 2009	November 20, 2010

	'A'	'B'
2001 - 2010	2011	2011

'C'	'D'	'E'
2011 - 2014	2012 - 2014	2012 - 2014
*see note 4 below	*see note 5 below

'F'	'G'	'H'
2012 - 2014	2012 - 2014	2013 -

'I'	'J'	'K'
2014	2015 - 2016	2015 - 2016

'L'	'M'	'N'
2015	2016	2017

'O'	'P'	'Q'
2018	2019 -	2023 -

'R'
2023 -

During recent years Maryland has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: P-P-Q; P-P-P; P-P-Q; R-P-P; Q (the last game being vs Auburn in the Music City Bowl at Nashville, TN)
• 2022: O-O-O; O-P-O; O-O-O; P-O-O; O (the last game being vs North Carolina State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Charlotte, NC)
• 2021: P-O-O; O-O-O; O-O-O; O-O-P; O (the last game being vs Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2020: O-O-O; O-P
• 2019: O-O-O; O-O-O; O-O-P; O-O-O
• 2018: O (entire season)
• 2017: H-H-H; H-H-H; H-N-H; H-H-H
• 2016: H-H-H; H-H-J; J-K-H; M-H-J; H (the last game being vs Boston College in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit, MI)
• 2015: H-H-H; H-J-K; L-H-H; H-H-H
• 2014: F-F-I; E-F-H; E-E-H; G-D-E; H (the last game being vs Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl at Santa Clara, CA)
• 2013: E-F-E; H-D-E; F-H-C; D-G-E; D (the last game being vs Marshall in the Military Bowl at Annapolis, MD)
• 2012: F-F-F; D-E-E; E-E-C; F-G-C
• 2011: C-B-B; B-B-B; A-B-A; C-A-B

The above are believed to be the complete set of historical helmet designs used by Maryland during the period covered by this web site (1960 to present).

*1 In all the color pictures that I have seen showing this helmet design, the terrapin appears to be primarily yellow, but I think it is possible that a mostly brown or perhaps red version may have also been used briefly (some photographs that I have seen seem to indicate a darker-colored terrapin). It appears that most players wore black numerals on either side of the middle stripes on both the fronts and backs of their helmets during this period.

*2 A slightly different numeral style may have been used in 1966 than was used during the earlier period, and narrow red stripes may have been present between the black and yellow stripes during 1966.

*3 This design was used in 1967 during at least games number 2, 3, and 7 against Syracuse, N.C. State, and Clemson, respectively. The red helmet with black stripes was used during at least game number 9 against Virginia.

*4 The left side of this design is as depicted here, but the right side is very different, consisting of black and yellow quadrilateral shapes (I will probably add a representation of the right side of the helmet here eventually).

*5 As is the case with helmet 'C' the right side is different from the left side.

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

1959 - 1968; September 10, 2011; January 3, 2012	1969 - 1974	October 1, 2011; additional games 2011
		*see note 1 below

September 1, 2012	1975 -
*see note 2 below

Michigan has used some variation of what has come to be known as the "winged" or "Michigan" helmet design since 1938. During the era covered by this web site (1960 to present) I believe there have been only some minor changes to the shape of the "wings" and to the widths of the stripes, and perhaps some minor color changes. Very small players' uniform numerals were worn on the helmets through most of the 1960s.

There's a nice history of the "Michigan helmet" design (which was actually first used at Princeton) at the university's web site.

*1 First worn vs Minnesota on October 1, 2011; this design was used for the remainder of the 2011 season with the exception of the Sugar Bowl game.

*2 Worn vs Alabama in a game played at Arlington, TX. The helmet numerals used during this game were of a different style and were slightly smaller than those used in 2011.

Return to top of page

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

1960 - 1964	1969	c.1965; c.1970 - 1972
		*see note 1 below

c.1966 - 1968; c.1972	1973	1974 - 1975
*see note 1 below

1976	1977	1978 - 1982

1983 - 1993	1994	1995 - 2000
*see note 2 below	*see note 2 below

2001 - 2002	September 6, 2003	September 23, 2006

2003 - 2006	2007 - 2009	October 15, 2011

	'B'	'C'
October 20, 2012; November 16, 2013	2015 - 2016	2017 -

'A'	'D'	'E'
2010 -	2019 -	2020 -
		*see note 3 below

'F'	'G'	'H'
2020 -	2020 -	2021 -

'I'	'J'	'K'
2021 -	2021 -	2021 -

'L'	'M'	'N'
2021 -	2022 -	2022 -

'O'	'P'	'Q'
2022 -	2022 -	2022 -

'R'	'S'	'T'
2022 -	2023 -	2023 -

'U'	'V'	'W'
2023 -	2023 -	2023 -

'X'	'Y'
2023 -	2023 -

During recent years Michigan State has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: S-T-U; V-W-S; X-T-Y; Y-X-S
• 2022: C-M-N; G-C-O; P-Q-L; R-F-E
• 2021: H-A-A; E-I-A; J-K-C; D-K-C; L (the last game being vs Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl at Atlanta, GA)
• 2020: A-A-C; E-D-G; F
• 2019: A-D-A; A-C-C; A-A-D; C-A-A; A (the last game being vs Wake Forest in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2018: A-C-A; C-A-A; A-A-C; C-A-A; C (the last game being vs Oregon in the Redbox Bowl at Santa Clara, CA)
• 2017: A-C-A; C-C-A; A-A-A; C-A-A; C (the last game being vs Washington State in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego, CA)
• 2016: A-A-A; A-A-A; A-A-A; B-A-B
• 2015: A-B-A; A-A-A; A-A-A; A-B-A; A-A (the last two games being vs Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis, AL and vs Alabama in the Cotton Bowl/College Football Playoff at Arlington, TX)

As I had long suspected the color of the college football centennial "100" logo worn on Michigan State's helmets in 1969 has turned out to be blue rather than green; see the excellent video from a 1969 game vs Iowa at this youtube address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS0G70l0idk . Nice views of the helmet are available at about 22:42 and at 39:08. Below is a screen capture:

*1 The helmet design without the white outline around the logo was used during at least part of the 1965 season, in addition to the 1967-1968 and 1970-1972 periods. The version with the white outline is visible in photographs dating from 1965, 1966, and 1972, so the chronology of these two designs seems to be rather complicated, and a game-by-game analysis would probably be necessary to identify precisely when each was used. Photographs from the 1970 to 1972 period strongly suggest an outline around the logo that appears darker than the helmet shell color itself, perhaps black or a darker shade of green.

*2 Both of these designs are "blank" on the left side but both have a white "S" on the right side similar to the one worn on both sides of the 2001-2002 design. The "S" apparently had a narrow black outline in 1994 only.

*3 The left side of this design is "blank" but a logo adorns the right side (as shown below).

*4 A different logo is worn on the right side of this design (as shown below).

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

? - 1967; Oct. 21, 2006	1968 - 1971	1972 - 1975
*see note 1 below

1976	1977 - 1978	1979 - 1985

1986 - 1991	1992 - 1995	1996

1997 - 1998?	1999? - 2006	2007

October 9, 2010; October 16, 2010	2008 - 2011	December 27, 2013
		*see note 2 below

'C'	'A'	'B'
2013 - 2014	2012 - 2016	2014 - 2016

'D'	'E'	'F'
2017 -	2017 -	2017 -
		*see note 2 below

'G'	'H'	'I'
2017 -	2017 -	2017 -

'J'	'K'	'L'
2017 -	2017 -	2018 -
*see note 2 below	*see note 2 below

'M'	'N'	'O'
2018 -	2018 -	2018 -

'P'	'Q'	'R'
2018 -	2018 -	2018 -

'S'	'T' (and 'T1')	'U'
2019 -	2019 -	2019 -
	*see note 2 below for 'T'	*see note 2 below

'V'	'W'	'X'
2019 -	2019 -	2019 -
	*see note 2 below	*see note 2 below

'Y'	'Z'	'AA'
2019 -	2019 -	2019 -

'AB'	'AC'	'AD'
2019 -	2019 -	2020 -
	*see note 2 below

'AE'	'AF'	'AG'
2020 -	2020 -	2020 -
*see note 2 below		*see note 2 below

'AH'	'AI'	'AJ'
2021 -	2021 -	2021 -
*see note 2 below

'AK'	'AL'	'AM'
2021 -	2021 -	2021 -

'AN'	'AO'	'AP'
2021 -	2022 -	2022-
*see note 2 below	*see note 2 below

'AQ'	'AR'	'AS'
2022 -	2022 -	2022-
*see note 2 below

'AT'	'AU'	'AV' (and 'AV1')
2022 -	2022 -	2022-
	*see note 2 below	*see note 2 below

'AW'	'AX'	'AY'
2022 -	2023 -	2023 -
*see note 2 below		*see note 2 below

'AZ'	'BA'	'BB'
2023 -	2023 -	2023 -
	*see note 2 below

During recent years Minnesota has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: S-AX-AY; U-Z-AB; AC-AZ-AL; AA-BA-BB; AV1 (the last game being vs Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit, MI)
• 2022: S-AO-AP; AQ-V-AR; AC-AS-S; AT-AU-AV; AW (the last game being vs Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2021: AF-V-AH; AI-V-AJ; Y-AG-AK; AL-AM-AB; AN (the last game being vs West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Phoenix, AZ)
• 2020: Z-AD-AB; AE-AF-AG; AA
• 2019: S-T-U; V-T1-W; X-Y-Z; AA-AB-AB; AC (the last game being vs Auburn in the Outback Bowl at Tampa, FL)
• 2018: L-M-M; O-N-M; O-N-N; P-Q-R; R (the last game being vs Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit, MI)
• 2017: D-E-F; G-D-H; D-D-D; I-J-K
• 2016: A-B-A; A-A-B; A-A-A; B-B-A; B (the final game being vs Washington State in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego, CA)
• 2015: A-B-A; B-A-A; A-A-A; A-A-A; B (the last game being vs Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit, MI)
• 2014: A-A-A; A-A-B; A-A-C; B-A-A; A (the last game being vs Missouri in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl at Orlando, FL)

*1 Minnesota's helmets were apparently adorned with black uniform numbers during the 1960s but I think it is possible that other colors, most likely maroon and/or dark blue, may have been used during some years. When this design was used during the October 21, 2006 home game against North Dakota State, the numbers were black.

*2 The right side of each of these designs differs from the left side as depicted below.

December 27, 2013	'F'	'J'

'K'	'T'	'U'

'W' and 'AW'	'X'	'AC' and 'AY'

'AE' and 'AG'	'AH'	'AN'

'AO'	'AQ'	'AU'

'AV'	'AV1'	'BA'

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

1957 - 1960	1961 - 1965; September 26, 2009	1966
	*see note 1 below

January 2, 1967 - 1968	1969	1970 - 1981
*see note 2 below

September 29, 2012	September 14, 2013	September 27, 2014

October 24, 2015	September 24, 2016	November 10, 2018

October 26, 2019; November 21, 2020	September 11, 2021	January 1, 1982 -
		*see note 3 below

The above are to the best of my knowledge all of the different helmet designs used by Nebraska during the period covered by this site (1960 to present).

*1 This image most closely resembles the helmet design used in 1961. The 1962 - 1965 helmets were similar, but the numerals were worn considerably higher up on the sides of the helmet, perhaps less so in 1965 than in the previous three years.

*2 The "NU" logo was first used during Nebraska's appearance in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama at the end of the 1966 season. for the most part, the "NU" was replaced with just an "N" in 1970, but at least some players on the team were still using the "NU" as late as 1971.

*3 Nebraska used red facemasks for the first time during the team's appearance in the 1982 Orange Bowl against Clemson.

Return to top of page

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

c.1960 - 1967	1968 - 1974	1975 - 1976
*see note 1 below

1977 (first game)	1977	1978

1979	1980	1981 - 1992?

		'C'
1993	October 22, 2011	September 10, 2011; 2012 - 2014; 2016 -

'D'	'F'	'B'
2012 - 2013; 2016	January 1, 2013; 2015 - 2017	2013 -

'E'	'G'	'H'
2013	2014 - 2015; 2019 -	2015; 2019 -
*see note 2 below

'I'	'J'	'K'
2015 - 2017	2016; 2018	2016 -

'L'	'M'	'N'
2017	2017 - 2018	2017

'O'	'P'	'Q'
2017	2017 - 2018	2018

'R'	'S'	'T'
2018	2018	2018
	*see note 4 below	*see note 5 below

'U'	'V'	'W'
2019 -	2020 -	2020 -

'X'	'Y'	'Z'
2020 -	2021 -	2022 -

'A'	'AA'	'AB'
1994 - 2021; 2023 -	2022 -	2023 -

'AC'	'AD'
2023 -	2023 -

During recent years Northwestern has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: V-X-V; V-A-AA; X-G-AB; AA-AC-X; AD (the last game being vs Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl at Las Vegas, NV)
• 2022: Z-W-X; AA-X-G; V-V-AA; X-AA-V
• 2021: G-Y-V; K-K-V; X-V-A; X-A-V
• 2020: A-V-W; K-X-B?; G-X-V (the last two games being vs Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Auburn in the Citrus Bowl at Orlando, FL)
• 2019: A-K-K; U-K-G; A-B-H; A-B-B
• 2018: P-Q-R; J-K-K; B-K-M; S-K-A; A-T (the last two games being vs Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Utah in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego, CA)
• 2017: B-L-F; A-A-B; M-N-I; O-F-P; K (the last game being vs Kentucky in the Music City Bowl at Nashville, TN)
• 2016: B-C-F; D-B-J; J-B-J; A-I-D; K (the last game being vs Pittsburgh in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2015: A-H-I; F?-G-A; A-B-F; A-F-B; A1 (the last game being vs Tennessee in the Outback Bowl at Tampa, FL)
• 2014: A-C-B; A-A-B; G-B-A; A-A-A.
• 2013: B-A-C; A-D-A; A-A-A; E-A-A
• 2012: A-C-A; A-A-A; A-D-A; A-A-D; F (the last game being vs Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, FL)

To the best of my knowledge the above are the complete set of historical helmet designs for Northwestern for the period covered by this web site (1960 to present).

*1 There may have been some variation to the sizes and styles of the numerals used during this period.

*2 The right side of this design was completely different from the left and appeared as represented below.

*3 Design 'A1' differs from 'A' in that uniform numerals are worn on the right side of the helmet (as shown below).

*4 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; an "N" logo adorns the right side (as shown below).

*5 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; the usual "N" logo is worn on the right side, purple outlined in silver (hence like the logo on both sides of design 'K').

Return to top of page

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

1960 - 1964	1965	1966 - 1967
*see note 1 below	*see note 1 below

November 21, 2009	November 27, 2010	October 29, 2011

'B'
2012 - 2014	October 17, 2015; November 3, 2018; October 5, 2019	November 5, 2016; November 26, 2016

	'A'
October 28, 2017; December 2, 2017	1968 -

In 2014 Ohio State used two of the above helmet designs in the following sequence: A-B-A; A-A-A; B-B-A; A-A-A; A-A-A (the last three games being vs Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship Game at Indianapolis, IN, vs Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal game at New Orleans, LA, and vs Oregon in the National Championship Game at Arlington, TX).

In 2013 OSU used: A-A-A; A-B-A; A-A-A; A-A-B; A-B (the last two games being vs Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship Game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Clemson in the Orange Bowl at Miami, FL).

Ohio State's current primary helmet design has been used essentially unchanged since 1968, making it (until the team's recent use of alternate designs) one of the longest-running continously-used designs among the NCAA Division I-FBS colleges. There have been some minor changes to the relative widths of the stripes, however (in particular, the black stripes were somewhat wider prior to 1979 than they have been since then).

*1 The "red stripe" on these helmets actually consisted of some extra padding worn on the exterior of the helmet shell, making this a physical feature of the helmet rather than just an "artistic" one. Ohio State used this helmet style during at least the period 1960 through 1965, and possibly earlier, but it has been reported to me that from 1960 through 1963, the "padding only came halfway down the back of the helmet". The other colleges known to have apparently used this "padded" helmet design (all at about the same time as did Ohio State) are Ohio University, Fresno State, Duke, Harvard, Brigham Young, Davidson, East Stroudsburg, Marietta, Merchant Marine Academy, Hampden-Sydney, Johns Hopkins, Lebanon Valley, Southern Oregon, and Frederick.

Return to top of page

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

? - 1961; 1967 (first eight games?)	1967 (last 3 games?); 1968 - 1974; miscellaneous games 2017 -	1962 - 1966; 1975 - 1986
	*see note 1 below

November 24, 2012	1987 -
*see note 2 below

*1 Uniform numbers were worn on Penn State's helmets during the following games in recent years: September 30, 2017 (vs Indiana), October 5, 2019 (vs Purdue), November 21, 2020 (vs Iowa), October 23, 2021 (vs Illinois), and October 20, 2022 (vs Minnesota).

*2 During the 2012 home game vs Wisconsin the numerals "42" were worn on the left side of each Penn State helmet in honor of injured team member Michael Mauti (42 was Mauti's uniform numeral).

Return to top of page

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

1962 - c.1968; September 2, 2006	1969	1970

1971 - 1979?	1980	1981 - 1983

1984 - 1987	1989 - 1990	1988; 1991 - 1995

1996	January 1, 2001; October 16, 2010	1997 - 2010

	'B'	'C'
November 9, 2013	November 2, 2013; 2014 -	2014

'D'	'E'	'F'
2014 - 2015	2014	2015

'G'	'H'	'I'
2015	2017	2017 -

'J'	'A'	'K'
2017; 2020 -	2011 - 2016	2017

'L'	'M'	'N'
2017 -	2018 -	2019 -
	*see note 1 below

'O'	'P'	'Q'
2019 -	2021 -	2021 -

'R'	'S'	'T'
2022 -	2022 -	2022 -
	*see note 2 below

'U'
2023 -

During recent years Purdue has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: U-U-U; U-U-U; L-R-L; U-L-U
• 2022: R-H-H; S-H-H; L-L-H; T-H-L; L-H (the last two games being vs Michigan in the Big Ten championship game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs LSU in the Citrus Bowl at Orlando, FL)
• 2021: P-L-H; J-L-H; H-L-Q; H-H-H; L
• 2020: H-H-J; L-L-H
• 2019: H-H-L; M-I-N; I-I-L; O-L-L
• 2018: I-H-M; H-H-I; L-L-I; H-H-I; H (the last game being vs Auburn in the Music City Bowl at Nashville, TN)
• 2017: H-I-I; I-J-J; I-I-K; L-L-J; I (the last game being vs Arizona in the Foster Farms Bowl at Santa Clara, CA)
• 2016: A-B-A; G-A-A; B-B-A; A-A-A
• 2015: A-F-A; D-G-A; A-A-B; B-G-B
• 2014: A-A-A; B-C-A; D-A-A; E-A-B

Purdue used black helmets during the very early 1960s; these featured a single light-colored stripe and players' numerals of some light color (I have only black-and-white photographs of these, so I do not know what colors were used; presumably either white, gold, or yellow).

*1 The 'flag' logo on this design is present on its left side only; on the right side is the same 'P' logo worn on both sides of design 'L'.

*2 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; a logo is worn on the right side (as depicted below).

Return to top of page

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

? - 1961?	1962? - 1965	1966

1967 - 1968	1969	1970

1971	1972	1973

1974	1975 - 1978	1978 - 1980?

1979 (some games)	1981 - 1984	1985 - 1986

1987 - 1995	1996	1997 - 2000

'B'	'C'	'D'
October 8, 2011; October 29, 2011	October 21, 2011	November 12, 2011

'A'	'F'	'G'
2001 - 2011; 2015 -	2012 - 2015	2012 - 2014

'H'	'I'	'J'
2012 - 2015	September 8, 2012	November 10, 2012

'K'	'L'	'M'
September 7, 2013	2013 - 2015	November 2, 2013

'N'	'O'	'E'
November 16, 2013	2014 - 2015	2016 -

'P'	'Q'	'R'
2016 - 2017	2018 -	2019 -

'S'	'T'
2020 -	2021 -
	*see note 1 below

During recent years Rutgers has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: A-B-A; E-A-A; A-A-D; E-B-A; A (the last game being vs Miami (FL) in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)
• 2022: E-A-E; A-E-S; A-E-D; A-A-A
• 2021: A-T-A; A-A-A; A-A-A; A-A-A; A (the last game being vs Wake Forest in the Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, FL)
• 2020: A-A-A; A-A-A; S-A-A
• 2019: A-A-A; A-A-A; R-A-A; A-A-A
• 2018: E-E-E; E-E-Q; E-A-E; A-E-E
• 2017: A-A-A; A-A-A; A-A-P; A-A-E
• 2016: E-A-A; A-A-P; A-E-A; E-A-E
• 2015: H-H-F; A-H-L; F-F-L; H-O-A
• 2014: F-H-H; O-H-G; L-F-H; G-L-F; L (the last game being vs North Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit, MI)
• 2013: H-K-H; G-L-L; H-M-N; L-F-H
• 2012: F-I-F; F-G-H; F-H-J; F-F-G; F (the last game being vs Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl at Orlando, FL)
• 2011: A-A-A; A-B-A; C-B-A; D-A-A; A (the last game vs Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at New York, NY)

A couple of people sent me the picture below, a cropped version of a larger image which was apparently published on the Twitter account of Rutgers football, purportedly showing the 1967 helmet design for this team...

...while the 1967-1968 Rutgers helmet design did indeed have a logo depicting a knight-like figure riding a horse, the cartoonish logo on the above image does not appear to be a close match to the one actually worn on the helmet as seen in the best available photograph I have (see below). I vaguely remember having some larger and clearer photographs of this one many years ago but may have lost them in a hard drive crash; I would appreciate any superior photographs of the 1967 - 1968 Rutgers helmet design. Since photographs from this period are scarce, it is entirely possible that more than one logo was used during the years in question.

*1 The number "37" is worn on each helmet in memory of 37 Rutgers alumni who perished as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The names of several of these victims were also worn on each helmet (the small horizontal black lines; the text is not legible at this size). The '37' is worn on the left side only; an "R" logo is present on the right side, along with additional names (as depicted below).

Return to top of page

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

1957 - 1966; September 3, 2005	1967 - 1969	1970 - 1971
*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below

1972 - 1974	1975 - 1977	1988 - 1989

1978 - 1987; 1990	January 2, 2012	September 29, 2012

'B'	'C'	'D'
2013	2013 - 2014	2014; 2016 -

'E'	'F'	'A'
2019 -	2021 -	1991 -

During recent years Wisconsin has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

• 2023: A-D-A; A-A-A; D-A-A; A-A-D; A (the last game being vs LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Tampa, FL)
• 2022: A-D-A; D-A-D; A-A-D; D-A-D; D (the last game being vs Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Phoenix, AZ)
• 2021: A-A-F; A-D-A; A-A-D; A-A-D; D (the last game being vs Arizona State in the Las Vegas Bowl at Las Vegas, NV)
• 2020: A-D-D; A-D-A; A (the last game being vs Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Charlotte, NC)
• 2019: D-A-A; E-D-A; D-D-A; D-A-D; D (the last game being vs Oregon in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, CA)
• 2018: A-A-A; D-A-D; A-D-A; D-D-A; A (the last game being vs Miami (FL) in the Pinstripe Bowl at New York. NY)
• 2017: A-A-A; A-D-A; A-D-D; A-A-D; A-D (the last two games being vs Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Miami (FL) in the Orange Bowl at Miami Gardens, FL)
• 2016: A-A-A; A-A-A; D-A-A; A-A-A; A-A (the last two games being vs Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl at Arlington, TX)
• 2015: A (entire season)
• 2014: A-A-C; A-A-A; A-C-C; A-D-A; A-A (the last two games being vs Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis, IN, and vs Auburn in the Outback Bowl at Tampa, FL
• 2013: A-B-A; A-A-B; C-A-A; A-C-A; A (the last game being vs South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl at Orlando, FL)

A visitor to this web site reported locating photographs from all but two of Wisconsin's football games during the period 1956 through 1970, allowing the dates of use for the various helmet designs to be clarified - I have updated the dates listed here to reflect this new information.

*1 That is a "W" at the front of the helmet; a similar red "W" was present at the back of this helmet design. This design was resurrected for used during Wisconsin's first game of the 2005 season, a home game against Bowling Green.

*2 Photographs from all but two of Wisconsin's games during the three seasons 1967, 1968, and 1969 show the team using red helmets with the white "Bucky Badger" logo (with a few players wearing black helmets with the same logo - these were performance awards). The two games from which no photographs were located were September 21, 1968 (at Arizona State) and October 26, 1968 (vs. Northwestern). In all likelihood, the team used red helmets during both of these games.

Return to top of page