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The best and worst college football uniforms from Week 5.
Week 5 was the weekend of the color rush in college football with a number of schools rocking bold and bright uniforms in conference action. There were five teams that did it best.
A color rush is similar to the typical whiteout or blackout used by most programs. It’s a way to build the hype of a home game. It keeps the fanbase involved to create excitement and a hostile environment.
Instead of using black or white, the school color is the star. Fans can join in on the fun by donning the same shade in the stands.
I found my 10 favorite uniforms from Week 5 of the 2026 college football season. Half were color rush themes. I’ve also listed two uniform combos that I absolutely hated.
The best and worst college football uniforms of Week 5
This list includes one FCS school that pulled a massive upset on Friday night. All others hail from the FBS ranks, with the majority coming from the Power 4 level.
Many took risks that paid off in regard to the color rushes. A number of others made the list with designs that recognized the troops. Let’s start with the good before ending with the bad.
Color rush kings
These 5 schools knocked their color rush uniform combinations out of the park.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illini went all orange for a matchup with Big 10 rival Purdue. Orange lids, jerseys, and pants. Head to toe. I love the ILLINOIS logo on the helmets. The navy blue and white striping throughout the uniform provides just enough contrast.
Unfortunately, the team didn’t play as good as it looked. The Illini fell to the Boilermakers at home, 24-17.
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona not only went with all blue jerseys and pants, but they also brought out new helmets with a unique logo. Rather than the typical “block A,” the word ‘Cats was written in script across the domes.
The Wildcats showed out in the getups, beating Cincinnati 34-7 to improve to 1-1 in Big 12 play.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Not to be outdone, rival Arizona State also whipped out some color rush uniforms that were some of the best in college football this week.
The Sun Devils wore all maroon for a “monsoon” in Big 12 play. Unfortunately, they were crushed by the storm that was the Baylor Bears in a 55-19 beatdown.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota upset Michigan in Minneapolis on Saturday to earn a huge conference win. They did so in style.
The Golden Gophers donned all maroon uniforms similar to previously mentioned Arizona State. They also wore gold domes with a metallic shine and the classic “Block M.”
Wisconsin Badgers
Sticking in the Big 10, Wisconsin had maybe the brightest color rush uniforms in college football this week. They pulled out the all-red stitches for Homecoming.
The Badgers had a red-out for fans against Michigan State. They impressed on the field with a 31-3 victory.
5 other college football uniforms that caught my eye
Air Force Falcons
Air Force went “Stealth Mode” in all-black uniforms for a rivalry matchup against Navy. The design was inspired by the upcoming B-21 Raider stealth bomber jets.
The Falcons got a leg up in the Commander-in-Chief trophy race with a 14-9 victory over the Midshipmen.
Texas A&M Aggies
Sticking with the theme, Texas A&M rocked camo tops and maroon bottoms for an SEC showdown with Arkansas. They topped it off with camo helmets.
The Aggies showed out in front of the home crowd in College Station to pick up their first win in league play. They took down the Razorbacks 34-7 in Kyle Field.
Tennessee Vols
Tennessee wore charcoal tops and helmets with orange striping. The uniforms were worn as a tribute to General Robert Neyland, the man the football stadium is named after.
Neyland is the winningest coach in program history. The Vols honored him with a 24-14 win over Auburn.
Houston Cougars
This uniform combo is one of my favorites in college football each year. The Houston powder blues go hard. It represents a major shift from the typical red and white.
The design is linked to the space center presence in the city, hence the theme “Gridiron Galaxy.” The jerseys are worn annually, often against UCF, another school with strong NASA ties and astronaut-themed apparel.
Houston beat UCF on Saturday, 27-17, to claim outer space bragging rights.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech rocked cherry red helmets and pants alongside white jerseys for a road game against Colorado. These fits were hands-down the cleanest of Week 5.
I love white jerseys. It is my favorite look in college football. Texas Tech pulled them off to perfection with the help of the cherry red contrast. The Red Raiders also picked up a Big 12 road win over the Buffs to improve to 5-0.
The worst college football uniforms of Week 5
These uniform combos, for one reason or another, just didn’t land. They had no impact, however, on these teams’ ability to pull an upset.
Kentucky Wildcats
The white jerseys and blue pants are fine. It’s the helmets for me that make these fits one of the two worst of the week. The metallic silver doesn’t fit with the rest of the uniform. I think the Wildcats would’ve been better served to keep the lids white.
Kentucky could care less what I think. They broke my heart by taking down my alma mater, South Carolina, on the final play of an overtime thriller. I promise it had no impact on their making this list.
Idaho Vandals
Idaho pulled off the upset of the week by taking down top-ranked Montana State. They entered the matchup against the No. 1 team in the FCS at 0-4. They left with their first win.
The Vandals won while donning what I consider the worst college football uniforms of the weekend. Idaho went black and silver for the home game. I just don’t think it meshed. The traditional white would’ve looked better.
The program will gladly take a spot on this relatively meaningless list in future weeks if it comes with another massive upset.