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USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking all 18 Big Ten football uniforms from worst to first
Ranking all 18 Big Ten football uniforms from worst to first While the class of 2026 recruiting cycle is producing plenty of headlines, there still aren't any new 2025 football season updates to talk about. We've already unveiled our Big Ten power rankings for the upcoming campaign, as well as a hierarchy of the conference's starting quarterbacks. The leading teams and signal-callers shouldn't come as much of a surprise -- reigning national champion Ohio State again projects as the conference's best, with Penn State and Heisman Trophy candidate Drew Allar not far behind. Michigan, Oregon and breakthrough candidate Illinois all sit in the next tier, needing several things to fall their way for them to contend for the Big Ten title. The conference will look to bolster its argument as college football's best in 2025. While the SEC still holds the crown, the Big Ten's stellar postseason record and head-to-head success over its southern rival last season have narrowed the gap. 2025 will either see progress continue or the SEC return to dominance. That is all an on-field look at the upcoming season. Until training camps begin and we learn more about each team, off-the-field topics may have to lead the discussion. We began that initiative by ranking the Big Ten's 18 helmets from worst to first this week. Now, we're applying the same lens to the conference's 18 uniforms. 18. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Helmet ranking: No. 18 Neither Rutgers' helmet nor uniform jumps off the page. The conference doesn't have any outright 'bad' uniform combos -- this slot isn't that. Instead, it portrays a nondescript red and white combo that can be found at multiple programs across the country. 17. Indiana Hoosiers Helmet ranking: No. 10 Indiana has a strong helmet, relative to the rest of its uniform. The shade of red at least differs from others in the conference. Otherwise, Indiana's uniforms aren't memorable. This standing will be open to change if Curt Cignetti continues to lead a program resurgence. Nebraska's nondescript jersey, for example, ranks well, partially due to the program's history. 16. Northwestern Wildcats Helmet ranking: No. 12 Northwestern has the benefit of a unique colorway and a solid helmet. Otherwise, the program's typical uniform isn't overly unique or interesting. The team's new all-black alternate uniform (below) hurts the ranking. Sometimes, 'new' doesn't always mean 'good.' 15. Maryland Terrapins Helmet ranking: No. 11 Maryland's jerseys have good touches, such as the texture on the number and colored strips on the shoulders. The uniform's overall look improved when the team went to the 'Terps' helmets full-time over the old design with the Maryland flag across the crown. 14. Purdue Boilermakers Helmet ranking: No. 15 Purdue's black and gold combination is a plus. While the uniform itself doesn't add much flair or intrigue, the unique colorway differentiates it from others in the sport. The aesthetics of peak Jeff Brohm Purdue, when the team was known as the 'Spoilermakers,' playing a night game at home were terrific. 13. Illinois Fighting Illini Helmet ranking: No. 17 It's challenging to make orange look good on a football uniform. Illinois has done it, at least in part. The team would do well to keep its classic look as much as possible, avoiding a return to what it wore for the Michigan game last season (below). That alternate uniform would rank as the worst in the sport, regardless of level. 12. Washington Huskies Helmet ranking: No. 14 Separately, Washington's uniform and helmet leave a lot to be desired, especially the purple and gold home kit. But the combination of the two works well. The purple 'W' matches well with the uniform top, as does the gold chrome with the bottom. Possibly the program's best combination was its all-white jersey and gold helmet against Michigan in the 2023 national title game. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire 11. Nebraska Cornhuskers Helmet ranking: No. 13 Nebraska has one of the most basic uniforms in the sport. But since the aesthetic can still be tied to the program's 1990s dynasty, it has to be considered a 'classic' uniform. If Nebraska didn't exist before it joined the Big Ten in 2011, its jersey would rank down near Rutgers. Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire 10. Minnesota Golden Gophers Helmet ranking: No. 16 Minnesota's jerseys are among the more underrated in the conference. However, I'd argue the helmet hurts this ranking. A similar colorway with a smaller, more creative 'M' and less flash would better complement the rest of the kit. Maroon and gold is a strong color combination, so it would've been hard to build a bad uniform. 9. Oregon Ducks Helmet ranking: No. 7 One could argue that Oregon has four or five uniform combinations worthy of a top spot on this list. That person wouldn't be entirely incorrect. The question is, if a team wears a different uniform every week, does it even have one? I'd rather a team find a simple, consistent week-to-week look than release a new headline-grabbing kit every Friday afternoon. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 8. Ohio State Buckeyes Helmet ranking: No. 2 Ohio State's jerseys are a classic, thanks to the program's dominance over the last 50 years. The helmet is what defines the look. The Buckeyes' uniform combination itself is somewhat simple. Again, don't confuse this ranking for 'bad.' It just isn't one of the best seven uniform kits in the conference. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 7. Michigan State Spartans Helmet ranking: No. 5 Michigan State has mastered its green and white colorway, adding several unique Spartan touches. The program's full green, full white and green-on-white combinations are terrific. The only alternate uniform that should be eliminated is the neon green. Like with many other programs, diverting from the classic look is often a bad thing. Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire 6. USC Trojans Helmet ranking: No. 6 USC's uniforms are a college football classic, both in the colorway and the Trojan logo. The program's brand recognition helps its standing -- these uniforms are synonymous with some of college football's greatest moments. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 5. UCLA Bruins Helmet ranking: No. 4 It's hard to find a better uniform than UCLA's white-on-gold. It includes the perfect amount of blue accent, creating a rare three-color look. The other blue-on-gold look isn't too bad itself. Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire 4. Penn State Nittany Lions Helmet ranking: No. 9 Penn State's uniforms fall under the 'classic' category. It is one of the rare uniforms where a non-college football fan can turn on the television, not see the scoreboard and know exactly who is playing. And unlike Oregon, it achieves that reality without eight different alternates with seven different colors. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 3. Wisconsin Badgers Helmet ranking: No. 8 Perhaps this ranking is biased. But few Big Ten uniforms are as classic as Wisconsin's red-on-white with the 'Motion W' on each side of the helmet. It isn't overly complicated and has a consistent look both at home and on the road. Until the end of the Paul Chryst era, you knew exactly what to expect when these uniforms popped onto the television screen. 2. Michigan Wolverines Helmet ranking: No. 1 Michigan has perfected the modern twist on a classic uniform. Every one of its color combinations works, including its blue-on-yellow, white-on-white and blue-on-blue. Just like with Wisconsin (until 2023), Penn State and others, any non-Big Ten fan knows exactly what to expect when Michigan's uniforms appear on television. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire 1. Iowa Hawkeyes Helmet ranking: No. 3 Few college football aesthetics are better than Iowa in a night game at Kinnick Stadium wearing all black. Like Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin, Iowa has a simple, classic uniform combination with a terrific color scheme and a clear identity. Now, all the program needs is a passing game. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Washington Post
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Derik Queen beats the buzzer, and Maryland dances into the Sweet 16
SEATTLE — The first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament began with plenty of drama away from the court for fourth-seeded Maryland. It ended with the Terrapins rejoicing over their first trip to the Sweet 16 in nearly a decade after Derik Queen banked in a buzzer-beating jumper for a 72-71 win over No. 12 seed Colorado State in Sunday's second-round game at Climate Pledge Arena. The most consequential shot in the freshman center's career triggered a bench-emptying celebration, with Queen flexing and mean-mugging as his teammates mobbed him near the baseline. The first game-winner in Queen's career, college or otherwise, he said, gave the Big Ten freshman of the year 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting and sent the Terps (27-8) to the West Region semifinals. They will face No. 1 seed Florida, one of the top contenders to win the national championship, on Thursday in San Francisco for a spot in the Elite Eight. 'I asked the guys, 'Who wants the ball?'' Maryland Coach Kevin Willard said, recounting the discussion during a timeout with 3.6 seconds left. 'Because sometimes you can draw something up for a guy that maybe doesn't want the basketball, and [Queen's] exact words were, 'I want the em-effing ball,' so once he said that, it was a pretty simple decision, and I could see everyone's body language kind of perk up a little bit because he was so confident in the fact that he wanted the basketball.' Queen's memorable moment came after the Mountain West tournament champion Rams (26-10) had gone in front 71-70 with 6.1 seconds to go on Jalen Lake's deep three-pointer. Maryland then inbounded the ball, crossing half-court, and Willard called a timeout to set up the play that produced the Terps' first berth in the region semifinals since 2016. It's the first time Willard has taken a team to the Sweet 16 after a successful run at Seton Hall, where the furthest he had gone was the second round. 'When Coach drew up the play, my teammates trusted me, he trusted me,' said Queen, the second-highest-rated recruit in Maryland history and a projected lottery pick in June's NBA draft. 'I was a little bit, like, nervous, but I knew we were due for one, and I had to make this.' Each of the Terps' starters, collectively dubbed the 'Crab Five,' scored in double figures. Sophomore guard Rodney Rice had 13 of his 16 points in the second half, and senior forward Julian Reese added 15 points and 11 rebounds, none more important than his final offensive board with 22.4 seconds to play while drawing a foul. With the score tied and Maryland in the double bonus, Reese made both free throws, setting up the dramatic finish that secured the Terps' 15th appearance in the Sweet 16. Reese made all five of his free throw attempts and is shooting 73.5 percent at the line, an improvement of nearly 17 percentage points from last season. 'Yeah, when I was at the line, I was really just excited because this is really what I work for in the offseason,' Reese said. 'That's literally all I was thinking, like, the offseason work, it's the same shot, and I was literally — before we went in the huddle, when they were reviewing it, we were, like, let's just worry about defense right now. I got these shots. Let's just worry about defense.' After falling behind by nine early in the second half, Maryland surged back behind Rice, who made two three-pointers and added a three-point play during a 16-5 burst to give the Terps their first lead at 49-47 since the opening minutes of the first half in the first meeting between the schools. The lead flip-flopped in the ensuing minutes before the Rams scored three baskets in a row, highlighted by Nique Clifford's two-handed dunk, to pull back in front by three. Clifford scored a game-high 21 points with seven rebounds and six assists but committed three of the Rams' eight turnovers that led to 12 points for Maryland. Colorado State, which had won 11 in a row entering the second round, went just 2 for 12 on three-pointers in the second half when the Terps elevated their defensive energy. The Terps led only briefly in the first half and headed into the locker room trailing 37-30. They had charged back from a 12-point deficit to get within two late in the half, only to have Colorado State score three straight baskets, including a three-pointer from guard Kyan Evans, for a 35-26 lead. Even before Maryland stepped onto the floor for its first NCAA tournament game Friday, Willard created a stir around the program when he revealed during a news conference Thursday afternoon that Damon Evans probably would be leaving as athletic director for the same position at SMU. Willard also offered candid remarks about receiving a term sheet for a reworked contract Evans had presented to him and his agent but not signing until there was clarity as to who would be directing the athletic department. On Friday, SMU introduced Evans in an announcement, and Maryland posted to its website a farewell letter from its departing athletic director, who hired Willard three years ago. With that saga behind them at least temporarily and following a convincing first-round victory over Grand Canyon, the Terps still opened meekly at both ends for a second straight game Sunday. They went through a patch of 1-for-11 shooting against the Rams and fell behind by as much as 24-12 with 9:50 to play in the first half, allowing Colorado State to get into the lane repeatedly. But Maryland began to focus more defensively, and Rice and guard-forward Selton Miguel sank consecutive three-pointers to trim the deficit to 24-22 with 6:52 remaining in the half. The 10-0 run also included midrange jumpers from Queen and Reese that finally gave Terps supporters reason to pop up out of their seats for an extended period. When Queen made his winning shot, it snapped the Terps' three-game losing streak in one-possession games. 'These guys have bounced back every time we've had a buzzer-beater [against us], and really the gut punch was Michigan State,' Willard said, referring to a 58-55 loss on a 60-footer at the buzzer in College Park on Feb. 26. 'These guys have shown such character in how they have bounced back. That's all I told them in the huddle. I said: 'Guys, for the first time, we have time left. It's our time to kind of make our moment happen.''
CBS News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Terps secure 15th straight appearance in NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Maryland women's basketball is the 4-seed in the upcoming NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. It's the Terps' 15th straight trip to the tournament, and this year they won't have to travel far. College Park will host the first and second rounds of the tournament this season, after missing out on the opportunity to host last year. The Terps are 53-30 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, and 41-18 under Head Coach Brenda Frese, having led Maryland to 21 post-season appearances in her 23 years leading the program. Maryland will open up the tournament against 13-seed Norfolk State on Saturday, Mar. 22 at 4pm from the Xfinity Center.
