40. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota has fully embraced the unlimited shell rule in college football. Including the chrome option seen above, the Golden Gophers wore more than five unique helmets last season. The opposite side of this gold chrome look features an image of the mascot. Some looks are certainly better than others — and this one is arguably our favorite option currently.
39. UAB Blazers
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
After going through a two-year hiatus in the mid-2010s, UAB is back in action and now under the leadership of Trent Dilfer. The helmet in the photo is UAB’s primary shell. The gold helmet featuring a dragon head spewing fire is unique and easily identifiable for college football fans. The Blazers wore five unique helmets in 2023 but the primary remains the best of the bunch.
38. Kansas Jayhawks
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas is improving as a program and it also has some awesome helmets in its wardrobe. In addition to the white helmet in the photo, Kansas also dons a blue shell that features the Jayhawk — the blue shell has been paired with both a red and white facemask. Additionally, the team has a black helmet adorned with a chrome-blue facemask and a menacing Jayhawk head. Kansas may be a basketball school, but its football team is on the rise.
37. Colorado State Rams
Troy Babbitt-UW Media-Athletics
If you have this helmet ranked much higher, we wouldn’t blame you. Popularized by the Los Angeles Rams, Colorado State’s helmet features a dark green base and gold ram horns. This helmet has been CSU’s primary look dating back to 1995. The Rams have unveiled a handful of alternate helmets in recent years — including a glorious cartoon ram shell — but the green and gold are hard to top.
36. Air Force Falcons
Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Air Force has had a lightning bolt on its helmet since 1955. For the majority of those years, the primary helmet has been a white shell featuring a blue lightning bolt. The look has remained largely unchanged other than a few small changes to the color of the shell/bolt. Air Force unveiled a blue alternate in 2014 and beginning in 2016 introduced “Airpower Legacy Series” helmets. Some of those helmets have been incredible — especially the Sharktooth option.
35. Utah Utes
USA TODAY Sports
Now a member of the Big 12, Utah has some very underrated helmets. Utah’s Circle and Feather logo is a classic and remains one of the most-used helmets. With that logo, the Utes have donned red, white, and black shells. The interlocking ‘U’s’ seen above have been worn a lot in recent years. It is a strong look to begin with, but it is taken to another level when the Utes play in the Rose Bowl and add a rose to the shell.
34. SMU Mustangs
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
A new member of the Atlantic Coast Conference — yes, it is weird — SMU has some great helmet options. The sweet lids in the photo above accompany a ‘Dallas’ uniform that the Mustangs introduced ahead of the 2021 season. The red facemask is perfect attached to the white shell. The logo features a red mustang within the “Triple D”. The team also has an alternate which features a black shell with a blue mustang and “Triple D” in white.
33. North Dakota State Bison
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
North Dakota State may not play against elite competition all the time, but the program is a juggernaut. The Bison won the FCS National Championship each year from 2011 to 2015, 2017 to 2019 and 2021. Both of their primary helmets are great. It is hard to choose between the one seen above and the yellow lid — an inverse of the green helmet (yellow shell, green facemask).
32. Auburn Tigers
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
From 1983 to 2020, the orange facemask at Auburn was M.I.A. The navy mask is classic and we have zero issue with its use, but the orange is just a better look. The Tigers donned orange facemasks for a few years while Bo Jackson was on campus and it took far too long for it to return. The logo and helmet stripe are also nice. This isn’t the best helmet in the country, but it is certainly one of the most recognizable.
31. Kansas State Wildcats
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The purple and silver just works. In recent years, Kansas State darkened the shade of purple in their athletics color palette — we prefer the lighter shade — but it didn’t change the appearance of the Powercat. The logo first appeared on K-State’s helmets in 1989 and, thankfully, the team hasn’t strayed away from the look often. In this case, K-State > KU.
30. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Unless you live on the West Coast, you may not have seen Hawaii’s helmet too many times. As recent as 1998, Hawaii’s helmet featured a rainbow with the letters ‘U’ and ‘H’ attached to it. The introduction of the new ‘H’ logo — on the other side of this helmet — in 2000 brought about a new set of uniforms. Combining the ‘H’ with the Hawaiian islands resulted in one of America’s best helmets.
29. Washington State Cougars
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s start with this — Washington State’s logo is criminally underrated. The WSU initials form a Cougar head, it’s genius. The color scheme is also fantastic. Wazzu has introduced numerous alternate helmets in recent years including black, white, red and multiple grey options. The helmets from the 1990s — metallic silver with a crimson facemask and metallic crimson with a white facemask were fantastic. The current options are good, but a return to the past would be welcomed.
28. TCU Horned Frogs
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
It is hard to keep up with TCU’s helmet collection, but there are a lot of winners in the mix. We prefer when the Horned Frogs stick to purple shells, but the black options also look good on the field. Some people may have TCU within their top 5 while others likely despise the team’s look. For us, they are right outside the truly elite helmets in college football.
27. Boise State Broncos
David J. Becker/Getty Images
From 2000-2020, the Boise State Broncos were the winningest program in the nation. The Mountain West juggernaut went 219-43 in that span — a winning percentage of 83.5. Boise State rose to national prominence in 2006. That year, the Broncos capped off a perfect 13-0 season with a historic win, 43-42, over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Over the past 15 or so years, Boise has enhanced its look on the field as its brand has expanded. The program has a handful of awesome helmets to choose from. In addition to the black/orange helmet pictured above, the Broncos have blue, orange and white versions — all of which have multiple color options.
26. Tulane Green Wave
Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Tulane’s color scheme is awesome. The Angry Wave logo is also a winner. There isn’t much to complain about with this helmet. Tulane also sports a green lid as well as a light blue one. All three looks work, but this is our favorite of the bunch.
25. Alabama Crimson Tide
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
We can hear the criticism as we write this. “Alabama is No. 1!” “You guys are out of your minds!” “Whoever wrote this should be fired.”
Look, we get it. Alabama has won a ton of championships and its helmet is iconic. However, that doesn’t mean that we are obligated to put it at the top of the list. At the end of the day, it’s a red helmet with numbers on it.
24. Georgia Bulldogs
Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The perennial College Football Playoff contenders don one of the most recognizable helmets in all of football — both at the collegiate and professional levels. Of course, Georgia’s helmet features the same logo as the Green Bay Packers. In place of Green Bay’s green and yellow look, Georgia sports a crisp red and black combo. When Georgia first debuted the ‘G’ on its helmet, it received permission from the Packers organization. While Georgia’s helmet design isn’t unique to the program, it is certainly a powerful look and instantly recognizable.
23. Ole Miss Rebels
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Let’s get this out of the way — Ole Miss’ navy blue helmets are not amongst the nation’s best. When the Rebels sport the navy blue, they don’t look great. However, the powder blue helmet is beautiful. The red ‘Ole Miss’ script and stripe pop off the helmet in a way that it simply doesn’t when paired with the navy shell. Powder blue is underutilized when it comes to uniforms, but it often looks great on the field. Ole Miss should adopt the powder as its primary look. If it does, it will likely move up lists like this one in the future.
22. Arkansas Razorbacks
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Razorbacks are struggling on the gridiron, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to look good while trying to prove you belong at the top of the SEC. Arkansas sports a great, dark shade of red (cardinal). Its helmet would look a bit bland if it had a red facemask — so, we are thankful that it is accompanied by a white facemask instead. The trademark hog on the helmet looks ferocious. Unique and visually pleasing, Arkansas’ helmet is an underrated gem.
21. Clemson Tigers
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Like Ohio State, Clemson awards its players with small stickers for playing at a high level. But while we don’t necessarily think the tiny footprint stickers are a necessary/good addition to Clemson’s helmet, we do favor the Tigers’ original shell more than Ohio State’s. Clemson’s orange shell pops off the screen, and the white paw print is a tremendous logo. It doesn’t matter if the Tigers are competing for national titles or are mired in mediocrity, their helmet will always be one of the best in the country.
20. North Carolina Tar Heels
Grant Halverson/Getty Images
We love Ole Miss’ powder blue helmet, but North Carolina’s Carolina Blue look is superior. Carolina Blue is one of the most recognizable colors in collegiate sports. While that is the case largely due to the school’s legendary basketball program, the Tar Heels also have a great look on the gridiron. It doesn’t matter if the helmet is paired with a white, black or blue top, the trademark shade of blue always looks great. The Tar Heels don’t need to mess with a great thing, but they also have a nice white helmet at their disposal.
19. Oklahoma Sooners
USA Today Sports
Oklahoma’s crimson helmet is iconic. Teams with a rich history of success often sport a uniform that is regarded as a classic, and Oklahoma is no exception. While the helmet is rather simple, it is undeniably effective. The interlocked ‘O’ and ‘U’ logo fits perfectly on the shell, and the white facemask is a perfect complement to the strong crimson color. The Sooners have introduced a few alternate helmets in recent seasons, but their traditional look remains the clear top dog for the program.
18. Colorado Buffaloes
Ralph Freso/Getty Images
It’s hard to mess up a uniform/helmet when your main colors are black and gold. As we can see, the Colorado Buffaloes certainly understood the assignment. The Buffaloes’ primary helmet is an absolute winner. Colorado sports a gold shell adorned with a black facemask and a black buffalo decal. While the program has also introduced black, white and grey shells over the past few years, the gold remains the best. When Colorado was one of the nation’s top programs, this helmet was instantly recognizable and carried weight across the country.
17. Ohio State Buckeyes
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Ohio State’s helmet evolves as the season progresses. For some, even the Buckeyes’ plain silver shell (with the stripe) is one of the best looks in the country. This writer wouldn’t include that version of the helmet amongst the nation’s 25-best, but once the stickers start appearing? That’s a different story. The buckeye leaves — which are awarded to players for exceptional play — add a ton to the helmet and Ohio State’s overall look. Once a player’s helmet is full of buckeye leaves, the helmet is elevated to another level.
16. Florida Gators
James Gilbert/Getty Images
Florida has worn a lot of helmets over the years, but its best look (above) is an iconic college football helmet. First worn in 1979, the orange shell with a white facemask and ‘Gators’ in blue script is rather gorgeous. The program has introduced some strong, white helmets since the mid-2000s — one that features a blue ‘F’ and one that looks identical to the main helmet, but with a white shell in place of the orange — but none hold a candle to the iconic orange dome.
15. Tennessee Volunteers
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
There is just something about this helmet that we love. It is incredibly simple, no doubt. A white shell with an orange ‘T’ and stripe. The Vols’ helmet has evolved a few times over the past few decades — sometimes to its detriment — but it is currently looking just right. The stripe going down the middle of the helmet no longer features a checkerboard pattern at the base. In addition to the primary look, Tennessee unveiled a strong alternate helmet — with a black facemask and ‘T’/stripe outline — in 2021.
14. Arizona State Sun Devils
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Arizona State Sun Devils once had one of the nation’s best looks. From 1980-2010, ASU sported a version of the helmet featured above. The iconic look includes the team’s mascot, Sparky, running while carrying his pitchfork. Despite no longer being the main helmet, the Sparky domes are still worn by the Sun Devils. Currently, ASU’s main helmet features an updated, large pitchfork. Since adopting the new look in 2011, the team has worn white, black, maroon, silver, yellow, and sand variations.
13. San Diego State Aztecs
Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Unless you live on the West Coast or consider yourself a massive college football fan, this is probably the first time you’ve seen this helmet. A member of the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs are often overshadowed by some fellow California programs a few hours North — namely, UCLA and USC. While the program has had some nice helmets previously, these beautiful lids are on another level. Inspired by the Aztec calendar, this helmet debuted in 2015. A recent update resulted in the Aztec art truly popping off the red dome. Don’t sleep on SDSU’s look.
12. Wyoming Cowboys
William Mancebo/Getty Images
The last time Wyoming football was at the center of the football world was in 2018. That year, Wyoming’s star quarterback, Josh Allen, was in the NFL’s crosshairs. Of course, Allen has since become a legit superstar and top-5 quarterback in the league. As for Wyoming, the Cowboys have played near-.500 ball. The Cowboys have one of the most underrated looks in college football. The brown and gold color scheme is perfect — as is the image of Cowboy Joe riding a bucking bronco. With an elite color combo and top-notch logo, Wyoming sports one of the nation’s best helmets.
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Only one team should be able to wear a solid-gold helmet, and that team is Notre Dame. Notre Dame is one of the most iconic brands in college athletics, and its football team leads the way for the school. The Fighting Irish’s current gold helmet is arguably the best in program history. The shell sparkles under the bright lights and gives off a sense of importance. Notre Dame is a team that should never wear an alternate helmet. Simple, but great.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes
Steven Branscombe/Getty Images
Dressed like the collegiate version of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Iowa Hawkeyes sport one of the nation’s cleanest uniforms. Utilizing black and gold (looks more yellow than gold to us), Iowa makes the most out of a rather simple look. The lone pop of color on the helmet comes by way of a yellow stripe and Tiger Hawk logo. Like the University of Georgia, Iowa reached out to the Steelers organization seeking permission to rebrand its program in reverence of the famed NFL franchise. Thanks to Pittsburgh’s generosity, we get to enjoy one of the best helmets in football whenever Iowa takes the field.
9. Miami Hurricanes
Mark Brown/Getty Images
Miami owns the orange, green and white trifecta. ‘The U’ is home to some of the greatest teams in the history of college football, and its trademark helmet has become synonymous with the sport. Miami’s main lid features all three colors — the shell and facemask are white, the ‘U’ is half orange and half green, and two thin, green stripes outline a thick, orange stripe. Now, Miami’s white helmet might be its second-best look. The Hurricanes recently debuted a black/neon helmet and WOW. It is a thing of beauty.
8. Florida State Seminoles
Grant Halverson/Getty Images
All three of Florida’s top programs — Florida, Miami and Florida State — don iconic helmets. Winners of three National Championships, the Seminoles have worn their iconic helmets since 1976. FSU has a great color scheme — although some of the more recent uniforms have been a bit lacking — predominantly using garnet and gold. The Seminoles typically take the field in their gold helmets. The garnet facemask and garnet/white spear are perfect compliments to the gold shell. While there have been calls for FSU to change its mascot/brand, the spear helmet remains one of college football’s best.
7. Texas Longhorns
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Another simple, classic helmet. Texas is a historic program. It claims four National Championships, has two Heisman Trophy winners, and has over 900 wins. The program’s burnt orange and white look is iconic. Texas’ gorgeous helmet has remained largely the same since 1961. In ’61, the helmet featured the Bevo logo with the player’s number above it and an orange stripe down the middle. The stripe and numbers are no longer in place (the numbers are on the back), but the beloved burnt orange Bevo remains — and we love it.
6. Oregon Ducks
Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Oregon changed the landscape of college football both on and off the field. Chip Kelly’s offense has been copied by countless programs around the country, and Oregon’s countless uniform/helmet combinations have resulted in hundreds of alternates nationwide. The Ducks’ classic ‘O’ helmet was pretty solid, but their current winged look is iconic. Oregon has donned more than a handful of winged helmets, and all of them are outstanding. We can’t wait to see what the Ducks unveil next.
5. Pittsburgh Panthers
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Sometimes, new isn’t better. From the early 1980s through 1996, the Pittsburgh Panthers were one of the best-dressed teams in the nation. Then, Pitt unveiled a new helmet that was a far cry from the glory days — a gold shell featuring a whack-looking Panther. In ’05, the panther lid was scrapped in favor of a gold helmet with a block ‘PITT’ — another dud. Thankfully, the program turned back the clock in ’19 and brought back the beautiful helmet pictured above. The colors are great, and the script ‘Pitt’ is even better. A true masterpiece.
4. UCLA Bruins
Harry How/Getty Images
UCLA’s complete uniform is arguably the best in the country. The Bruins’ home blue and gold are unmatched. And while past versions of the helmet may be a bit better — ‘UCLA’ in navy blue instead of light blue was phenomenal — the current version is still top-tier. The ‘UCLA’ script is perfect, and the gold is now the perfect shade after a few years of the program sporting a more yellow-gold lid. The Bruins may not be an elite team, but they look the part.
3. Michigan Wolverines
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Everyone recognizes Michigan’s maize and blue. The Wolverines wear the most notable helmet in college football — and possibly in all of football overall. Michigan has sported its famed winged helmet since 1938. There is never a doubt which team is playing if you quickly glance up at your television and see these helmets. We are undecided on the helmet stickers — they can look good to an extent, but too many stickers seem to take a bit away from the winged look — but the base helmet is perfect.
2. USC Trojans
Steve Grayson/WireImage/Getty Images
The Trojans haven’t been good for a few years, but USC remains an elite program — and arguably college football’s most historic. 11 National Championships, seven Heisman Trophy winners, over 500 NFL Draft picks…the USC Trojans are a legendary name. So, it is only fitting that USC’s helmets are also elite. Aside from an update to the Trojan logo on the helmet, the lid has remained largely unchanged since its debut in 1972. There is no mistaking USC’s cardinal and gold color scheme, nor its simple yet powerful helmet. If Lincoln Riley can carry the Trojans back to the top of college football, the helmet will only stand out even more.
1. LSU Tigers
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Alabama? NOPE. Penn State? Absolutely not. The best helmet in college football belongs to the LSU Tigers. Purple and gold look great together. Tigers are badass. Combine those colors with an iconic animal and you have a glorious helmet. The ‘LSU’ arching over the tiger head works to perfection — as does the helmet stripe going down the middle. Also, LSU’s white alternate helmet may be just as gorgeous as its primary yellow lid.
