The symbol for Clemson athletics has become known from coast to coast and around the world. The white Clemson paw is no longer confused with high schools or other southern universities.
As we get into this, I will admit that I love schools that use alternate uniforms. In today’s day and age, taking advantage of all the creativity that organizations like Nike can develop and create is something that recruits of all sports tend to enjoy and does provide a great change of pace week to week or in big games.
Clemson football does not use the all-purple uniforms enough. We all understand the new meanings that Coach Swinney has attached to each set of uniforms and it has worked out quite well over the last decade, but that doesn’t mean we can’t want to see certain combinations more.
All that said, Clemson football’s all-orange uniforms are the best in college football. There are quite a few classic uniforms in college football. The Penn State all whites, Michigan home uniforms, Oklahoma all white, the Notre Dame home blue top and gold pants, the Nebraska red top and white pants and the North Carolina baby blue top and white pants, and the Alabama uniforms are about as traditional is it gets in college football.
As classic and traditional as those are, nothing beats the all-orange Clemson football uniform. Whether home or a neutral site, there is nothing better than seeing the Tigers in all orange with the white paw on the helmet taking the field.
Turning the orange pants into “championship britches” is one of the best traditions that Coach Swinney started. When the team came back out against NC State in November wearing the orange pants after Wake Forest lost, the atmosphere changed.
Getting to the championship phase and seeing the orange pants is better than a lot of things in college football. While Clemson should embrace the alternative uniform at some point, there will never be a uniform better than the all-orange combination. Too bad we don’t get to see it more often.