Mountain West Conference


AIR FORCE HAWAI'I NEVADA
"Falcons" "Rainbow Warriors" "Wolf Pack"
Air Force Academy, CO Honolulu, HI Reno, NV
NEW MEXICO NORTH DAKOTA STATE NORTHERN ILLINOIS
"Lobos" "Bison" "Huskies"
Albuquerque, NM Fargo, ND De Kalb, IL
SAN JOSE STATE UNLV UTEP
"Spartans" "Rebels" "Miners"
San Jose, CA Las Vegas, NV El Paso, TX
WYOMING
"Cowboys"
Laramie, WY

There are three new members of this conference in 2026: Northern Illinois, UTEP, and North Dakota State, which is also a new member of NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.


Historical Helmets

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

1959? - c.1973 1980 - 1998 1999 - 2006
'A' 'B'
December 31, 2009 c.1974 - 1979; 2007 - 2011;
2015
2010 - 2011
*see note 1 below
'C' 'D' 'E'
2010 2010 2011 - 2013
*see note 2 below
'F' 'G' 'H'
2012 - 2012 2014
'I' 'J' 'K'
2014 2014 2015
'L' 'M' 'N'
2015 - 2023 2016 2017
*see note 3 below
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2018 2019 2019
*see note 4 below
'R' 'S' 'T'
2019 2019; 2021 - 2022; 2024 - 2020
*see note 5 below
'U' 'V' 'W'
2021 2022 2022
*see note 6 below
'X' 'Y' 'Z'
2023 2023 2024 -
*see note 7 below *see note 8 below
'AA' 'AB' 'AC'
2024 - 2025 - 2025 -
*see note 8 below *see note 9 below *see note 10 below
'AD'
2025 -

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

*1 Both the lightning bolt and the tapered stripe along the top of this design have a digital camouflage pattern.

*2 This design has an asymmetrical stripe sequence - the white middle stripe is flanked by a blue stripe on the left side of the helmet, and by a red stripe on the right side.

*3 The Air Force logo is worn on the left side only of this design. On the right side of each helmet is one of five insignia representing the Air Force's operational F-35-A fighter squadrons; below are representations of these designs.

34th Fighter Squadron 58th Fighter Squadron 61st Fighter Squadron
62nd Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron

*4 This design recognizes the Air Force's AC-130 gunship aircraft with a "painting" of the aircraft in flight beneath the full moon on the left side only; on the right side of each helmet are one of two insignia representing configurations of the aircraft in use by the Air Force.

AC-130U 'Spooky' AC-130W 'Stinger II' &
AC-130J 'Ghostrider'

*5 This design commemorates the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American pilots who served in the segregated US Army Air Forces during World War II. Four different insignia are worn on the helmets, each commemorating one of the squadrons that comprised the 332nd Fighter Group; below are representations of these four.

99th Fighter Squadron 100th Fighter Squadron 301st Fighter Squadron
302nd Fighter Squadron

*6 The Air Force roundel "logo" is present on the left side only of this design; the letters "USAF" are present on the right side (as shown below).

*7 The 'logo' depicted on this design is an insignia representing the Doolittle Raid, the first American military air operation against the Japanese mainland during World War II. It is worn on the left side only; on the right side is a depiction of the B-25 aircraft used during the raid (as depicted below).

*8 Designs 'Y' and 'AA' differ from each other in that 'Y' has a mirror-like, highly-reflective lightning bolt logo and middle stripe, while 'AA' has both these features in a flat gray color.

*9 The right side of this design differs from the left side as depicted below.

*10 The 'USSF' logo (standing for 'United States Space Force' is worn on the left side only of this design; a different logo is present on the right side (as depicted below).

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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I

c.early 1950s - 1960;
1962 - 1969;
November 16, 2013;
November 30, 2013
1970 - 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 - 1981
1982 - 1998;
October 25, 2014;
November 22, 2014;
September 12, 2015;
October 3, 2015
1999 2000
2005 - 2007 November 24, 2012 October 10, 2015
*see note 1 below
'A' 'C'
2001 - 2015 November 28, 2015;
2016 -
October 29, 2016
*see note 1 below *see note 2 below
'B' 'D' 'E'
2017 - 2018 - 2021
*see note 3 below *see note 4 below
'F' 'G' 'H'
2021 2022 - 2023 -
*see note 4 below *see note 4 below

During recent years Hawai'i has used the following sequence of helmet designs:

The above are apparently the complete set of historical helmet designs for Hawai'i from 1960 to present. The team was discontinued following the 1960 season but was brought back in 1962. What should probably be called a "club-level" team played in 1961 against a series of semi-pro or amateur teams. Hawai'i played at the NCAA Division II level until 1974 when it moved to Division I; the team nickname was changed from "Rainbows" to "Rainbow Warriors" in 1974, and then to "Warriors" in 2000. In 2013 "Rainbow Warriors" was reinstated as the official team nickname.

*1 Both of these designs were used during the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons. The green helmets were used for home games, and the silver ones for road games, with four exceptions: on both December 3, 2005 (vs San Diego State) and November 18, 2006 (vs San Jose State), the silver helmets were used during home games; on October 13, 2007 (at San Jose State) and November 16, 2007 (at Nevada), the green helmets were used during road games.

*2 The "12-7-41" on this design commemorates the date of the Empire of Japan's attack on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor, which drew the United States into the second World War. The numbers are present on the left side only of this design; the right side features the shoulder insignia worn by both the U.S. Army Reserve's 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Infantry Regiment, units composed of Japanese-Americans living in Hawai'i at the time of World War II (as represented below). This design was worn during Hawai'i's home game against New Mexico in 2016, a few weeks prior to the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

*3 The "map of Hawai'i" logo is present on the left side only of this design; the "H" logo is worn on the right side (as represented below).

*4 On both 'E' and 'F' the "15"/"map of Hawai'i" logo is present on the left side only; the "H" logo is worn on the right side. The "15" memorializes former team member Colt Brennan, who died May 11, 2021; 15 was Brennan's uniform number when he played for Hawai'i (2005 - 2007).

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UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO

? - 1960 1961 - 1964 1966 - 1967
1965; 1968? 1969 - 1970? 1971? - 1975
1976 1977 - 1978 1979 - 1981
1982 1983 1984
1985 - 1991 1992 - 1999 2000
2001 2002 - 2004 2005 - 2007
'G' (and 'G1') 'B'
2012 2008 - 2011; 2016 2013
*see note 1 below
'A' 'C' 'F'
2013 2013 - 2014 2015
*see note 2 below
'D' 'E' 'H' (and 'H1')
2014 - 2015 2014 2017 - 2019
*see note 3 below
'I' 'J' (and 'J1') 'K'
2017 - 2018 2019 2019
*see note 4 below *see note 5 below *see note 6 below
'L' 'M' 'N'
2019 2020 - 2021 -
*see note 7 below *see note 8 below *see note 9 below
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2021 2021 - 2022 -
*see note 10 below *see note 11 below
'R' 'S' 'T'
2022 - 2022 - 2022 -
'U' 'V' 'W'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'X' 'Y' 'Z'
2024 - 2024 - 2024 -
'AA' 'AB'
2024 - 2025 -

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

*1 Design 'G' (used 2008-2011) has the silver wolf head logo on both sides; 'G1' has the wolf head on the left side only while the right side has a silver-colored version of the 'Pack' logo (as on design 'B').

*2 Worn during home games vs UNLV in 2013 and vs Fresno State in 2014. The right side of this design is different from the left and has a "wolf head" logo (as shown below).

*3 Helmet design 'H' has the 'Pack' logo on both the left and right sides; design 'H1' has the 'Pack' logo on the left side only, with uniform numbers adorning the right side (as represented below).

*4 The 'Battle Born' logo is worn on the left side only of this design; the right side has uniform numbers enclosed within an outline of the state of Nevada (as shown below).

*5 Both designs 'J' and 'J1' have the script 'Pack' logo on their left sides only; 'J' has a 'Nevada Day' logo on its right side, while 'J1' has uniform numbers on its right side. Below are representations of the right sides of these two designs.

'J' 'J1'

*6 The script "Pack" logo is present on the left side only of this design; on the right side are silver uniform numbers (like those on the right side of design 'H1').

*7 The "Battle Born" logo is worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side are silver uniform numbers (as represented below).

*8 The "Pack" logo is present on the left side only of this design; uniform numbers are worn on the right side (as represented below).

*9 The "Pack" logo is present on the left side only of this design; uniform numbers are worn on the right side (as represented below).

*10 The "Pack" logo is present on the left side only of this design; uniform numbers are worn on the right side (as represented below).

*11 The "Pack" logo is present on the left side only of this design; uniform numbers are worn on the right side (as represented below).

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UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

1960 - 1963 1964 - 1965 1966 - ?
? - 1968 1969 1970 - 1971
1972 - 1973 1974 - 1979 1980 - 1986
1987; 1996 1988 1989 - 1991
1992 - 1995 1997 - 1998 1999 - 2000
2001 - 2003 September 3, 2011 November 12, 2011;
November 19, 2011
'D' 'C'
2004 - 2011 November 8, 2013;
September 12, 2015
2014 -
'B' 'A' 'E'
2014 - 2012 - 2015 2015
'F' (and 'F1') 'G' 'H'
2015 2015 - 2016 2016
'I' 'J' 'K'
2016 - 2017 2016 2016 - 2017
'L' 'M' (and 'M1') 'N'
2016 - 2019 2016 - 2019 2016
*see note 1 below
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2020 - 2023 2020 - 2021 2021 - 2022
'R' 'S' 'T'
2021 2022 - 2023 2021 - 2023
'U' 'V' 'W'
2023 2023 2024 -
'X' 'Y' 'Z'
2024 - 2024 - 2024 -
'AA' 'AB' 'AC'
2024 - 2025 - 2025 -
'AD' 'AE' 'AF'
2025 - 2025 - 2025 -
'AG' 'AH'
2025 - 2025 -

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

*1 Design 'M' has the lobo head logo on both sides; 'M1' has the logo on the left side only and uniform numbers on the right side (as depicted below).

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NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

? - 1962 1963 1965
1969 1964; 1966 - 1977 1978
'B'
1979 - 1998 1999 - 2011 2015 -
*see note 1 below
'C' 'A'
2021 - 2012 -

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

This team's helmet design history is fairly clear with a few exceptions; below are some cropped photographs from the university's archives (at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ndsu-university-archives/albums/with/72157627911057859 ) showing a few other designs for which only partial information has been located:

The first photograph dates from the early 1960s when NDSU wore uniform numbers on the team's helmets. In all likelihood these are green numbers on yellow helmets, but no color photographs have yet been located to confirm the suspected colors. Two photographs from 1963 show the numbers apparently no longer in use, with NDSU appearing to use "plain" probably yellow helmets with probably white/green/white middle stripes.

The standing bison logo with small letters "NDSU" on its side was apparently first used in 1964. Photographs dated 1965 (such as the two middle ones above) appear to show a slightly different logo in use - the interior of the bison appears to be largely light in color rather than dark (green) as on the 1964 & 1966-1977 design. Also there is no apparent sign of the lettering "NDSU" within. I would greatly appreciate any clearer photographs of this design.

The fourth photograph above shows the college football centennial logo in use during at least one game in 1969 (vs Montana in the Camellia Bowl). As is usually the case the colors used within the logo are unknown at present, and the logo was apparently used inconsistently on different helmets (being on the left side only in some cases, and on the right side only on other helmets).

The standing bison logo was used through 1977. A new helmet logo was adopted in 1978; the facemask color from this first year is unknown but it would appear to be a light color (probably gray or yellow) rather than the green color which was adopted in 1979. Any color photographs from 1978 would be appreciated.

*1 Gray facemasks may have been used with this design during its earlier years of use.

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NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

? - 1968 1969 1970 - c.1975
*see note 1 below
c.1975 - c.1976 c.1976 - 1979 c.early 1980s
*see note 2 below *see note 3 below
c.late 1980s 1997 ? - 1996; 1998 - 2000
2001 November 13, 2013 November 26, 2013;
December 6, 2013
'A' 'B'
2002 - 2013 2014 - 2015 2014
'C' 'D' 'E'
2014 - 2016 2014 - 2016 2014 - 2015
'F' 'G' 'H'
2015 2015 - 2016 2015 - 2016
'I' 'J' 'K'
2015 - 2015 2015
'L' 'M' 'N'
2016 2016 2016
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2017 - 2018 2018 2018
'R' 'S' 'T'
2019 2019 2022 -
'U' 'V' 'W'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'X' 'Y'
2024 - 2024 -

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

The dates of use for several of the earlier designs shown above are uncertain - clarification would be appreciated for these.

*1 NIU used black helmets with white numerals on the sides by at least 1965; I do not have much information yet from the years before then.

*2 Gray facemasks may have been used with this design during the earlier years of its use.

*3 Some photographs that I have seen from the early 1980s suggest that NIU was using helmets of a darker shade of red than is shown here, perhaps a crimson color similar to that presently used by Oklahoma or Alabama.

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SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY

c.1960s c.1967 - 1968 c.early 1970s
c.1974 - 1975 1976 - 1979 1980 - 1985
1986 1987 1988 - 1989
1990 - ? ? - 1999? 2000
2001 - 2005 2006 - 2009 2010 - 2011
'B' 'C'
2012 September 27, 2014 2014 - 2016
'A' 'D' 'E'
2013 - 2017 - 2019 -
'F' 'G' 'H'
2019 - 2019 - 2022 -
*see note 1 below
'I' 'J' 'K'
2022 - 2022 - 2023 -
*see note 2 below
'L' 'M' 'N'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
*see note 2 below
'R' 'S' 'T'
2023 - 2024 - 2024 -
'U' 'V' 'W'
2024 - 2025 - 2025 -

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

There are several other historical helmet designs for this team which I have not yet been able to add to the site due to insufficient information. Very few clear photographs have been received from the 1960s and early 1970s, and the dates of use for the various older helmets are highly uncertain. Additional information would be appreciated.

Below are a couple of photographs from the 1960s which appear to show one or two "unknown" logos on San Jose State's helmet; the second one is presumably a "spartan head" logo:

By at least 1974 the team had switched to blue helmets. These were "plain" (aside from stripes) for several years, but in 1980 the team began using a script "Spartans" logo which was used through 1985. The team made frequent helmet design changes for several years thereafter. I have not yet been able to add the 1986 and 1987 designs to the site because I do not have the helmet logos used during these years (photos below). The script "Spartans" logo used in 1987 is slightly different from the one used from 1980 to 1985.

Information is scarce from the 1990s, also, and it is possible that additional designs may have been used.

*1 The "Spartan helmet" logo is worn on the left side only of this design; a different logo adorns the right side (as depicted below).

*2 The number 408 (apparently in reference to a local telephone area code) is worn on the left side only of these designs; the right side differs from the left as depicted below.

'J' 'P'

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UNLV University of Nevada, Las Vegas

1968 1969 - 1972 1973
1974 1975 1976
1977 - 1978 1979 - 1980 1981
1982 1983 - 1986 1987 - 1989?
1990 - 1992 1994 - 1995 1996 - 1998
1999 - 2004 2005 - 2007 2008 - 2009
2010 - 2011 October 13, 2012 2012 - 2014
'A' 'B' 'C'
2015 - 2019 2015 - 2019 2016
'D' 'E' (and 'E1') 'F'
2017 2017 - 2019 2017
*see note 1 below
'G' 'H' 'I'
2019 2020 2020
'J' 'K' 'L'
2020 - 2020 - 2021 -
'M' 'N' 'O'
2021 2021 - 2021
*see note 2 below
'P' 'Q' 'R'
2021 - 2021 2022 -
'S' 'T' 'U'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'V' 'W' 'X'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'Y' 'Z' 'AA'
2023 - 2023 - 2024 -
'AB' 'AC' 'AD'
2024 - 2024 - 2024 -
'AE' 'AF' 'AG'
2024 - 2024 - 2024 -
'AH' 'AI' 'AJ'
2024 - 2025 - 2025 -
'AK'
2025 -

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

The first UNLV football team played in 1968, at which time the school was named Nevada Southern University. The helmet design shown in the photograph below was apparently the first one used by the team. One would naturally assume that the colors within the football-shaped helmet logo were similar to those used on the flag which is popularly referred to as the "Confederate Battle Flag" (i.e., blue "X" with white stars on a red field), but I have never received any color photographs to confirm this. The helmet shell appears to be silver. A color photograph of this design would be appreciated greatly.

The team's second helmet design (apparently used 1969-1972, though I have very few photographs from these years) featured a silver shell with a "UN" logo which was probably red in color (photo below).

*1 Design 'E' has the UNLV logo on both sides; 'E1' (worn October 7, 2017 vs San Diego State) has the UNLV logo on its left side only, with the right side having a red "ribbon" logo (as represented below). The ribbon was worn in memory of the 58 people killed during the mass shooting in Las Vegas six days earlier.

*2 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "UNLV" logo like that worn on both sides of design 'H'.

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UTEP University of Texas at El Paso

1960 - 1961 1962 1963 - 1964
1965 1966 1967 - 1970
1971 1972 1973
1974 - 1976 1977 1978 - 1979
1980 - 1981 1982 (early season) 1982 - 1985
*see note 1 below
1986 - 1987 1988 - 1990 1991
'E' 'A'
1992 - 1998 1999; 2018 - 2000 - 2017
'B' 'C' 'D'
2014 - 2017 2016 - 2017; 2019 - 2017 -
'F' 'G' 'H'
2018 2018 2018
'I' 'J' 'K'
2018 - 2021 - 2021 -
'L' 'M' 'N'
2022 - 2022 - 2022 -
'O' 'P' 'Q'
2023 - 2023 - 2023 -
'R' (and 'R1') 'S' 'T'
2024 - 2024 - 2024 -
*see note 2 below *see note 3 below
'U' 'V' 'W'
2024 - 2024 - 2025 -
*see note 3 below *see note 3 below *see note 3 below
'X' 'Y' 'Z'
2025 - 2025 - 2025 -
*see note 3 below
'AA' 'AB'
2025 - 2025 -
*see note 3 below *see note 3 below

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

*1 UTEP did not use a helmet logo during at least its first five games in 1982; a new 'UTEP' logo was used by at least game #7 (October 16 at Arizona State). No information has yet been located for game #6 (October 9 at UNLV).

*2 Helmet designs 'R' and 'R1' both have uniform numbers on their left sides only; the right sides differ as depicted below.

'R' 'R1'

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

'S' 'U' 'V'
'W' 'Z' 'AA'
'AB'

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UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

? - 1961 1962 - 1964 1965 - 1972
1973 - 1974 1975 - 1976 1977 - 1980
1986 1981 - 1985; 1987 - 1988 1990
*see note 1 below *see note 2 below
1989; 1991 - 1996;
October 15, 2005;
October 14, 2006
1997 - 1999? 2000 - 2006
'B' 'C' 'D'
2010 - 2012 October 8, 2011 September 10, 2011
*see note 3 below
'E' 'F' 'G'
2011 - 2012 December 3, 2011 2011 - 2012
'H' 'I' 'J'
2012 2012 2012
'K' 'L' 'M'
2012 2013 2013
'N' 'O' 'P'
2013 2013 2013
'A' 'Q'
2007 - 2013 September 11, 2021 2014 -
*see note 4 below
October 25, 2025

From 2014 through 2025 Wyoming apparently used helmet design 'Q' above for all games but two; 'Q' is essentially identical to the design used in 1989 and from 1991 through 1996.

During the period 2011 through 2013 Wyoming used the following sequence of helmet designs:

*1 During the 1986 season the horse/cowboy decal was modified slightly; the number "100" in yellow was placed over the body of the horse, apparently to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the university.

*2 I have found only a single clear photograph of Wyoming's 1990 helmet design, but it shows quite clearly the number "1890" atop the horse decal on the LEFT side of one player's helmet, and the number "1990" on the logo on the RIGHT side of a different player's helmet. These special decals were apparently used in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Wyoming's statehood, and I do not know if they were used for every game during 1990.

*3 First worn during September 18, 2010 (vs Boise State); subsequently worn November 20, 2010 (vs Colorado State), October 29, 2011 (at San Diego State), November 5, 2011 (vs TCU), and September 15, 2012 (vs Cal Poly).

*4 The middle yellow stripe on this design was narrower in 2014 and 2015 than in later years.

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