Florida Gators black uniforms revealed
Finally. After 5+ years of rumors and anticipation, the Gators have officially revealed their black uniforms.
The uniforms will be worn November 4th against Arkansas for the “Saluting Those Who Serve” game and will be auctioned off afterward with proceeds going to military families. Florida will wear the uniforms each year for military appreciation, a tradition Head Coach Billy Napier started at Louisiana.
The all-black look features a black helmet with a blue script “Gators” (might this be the same matte blue helmets from 2020 just re-conditioned?), script Gators on the chest, the master stripe throughout (matching the orange, blue, and white jersey and helmet), and “each players nameplate on the back of their jersey will display one of five words that are synonymous with the principles embodied by those who serve.” The terms were “selected by a representative of each brand of the military, as well as first responders.” They are — Commitment, Courage, Excellence, Honor and Integrity.”
This marks only the 2nd time in school history the jersey features a wordmark on the chest, the previous time being the 2010 Pro Combat uniforms which had “Florida” above the numbers. This is also only the 2nd time in school history straying away from orange, blue, or white uniforms, with the other time being the infamous 2017 Swamp Green uniforms.
The primary Gatorhead logo is noticeably missing from chest of the jersey (usually on the right chest), where presumably the SEC logo will be placed on the black uniforms. Also of note is the Gatorhead on the bumper of the helmet, which is a sticker instead of being 3D/raised.
Originally planned to be revealed in late October, the uniforms were revealed just 2 weeks after the UF Bookstore leaked retail versions of the black jersey on the sale floor, marking our first official look at the jersey. Those jerseys are now available to purchase here: https://bit.ly/GatorsBlackJersey
Fans were disgruntled to see the script Gators on the chest, hoping it didn’t appear on the actual uniform. But with the official reveal, the uniform is tied together nicely. See below for our concept mockup pre-reveal showcasing the whole uniform (the Gatorhead is on the hip instead of script Gators):
This is Florida’s 5th alternate uniform since 2005 and the 3rd “special” uniform reveal since 2017 (2017 Swamp Green uniforms, 2019 Throwbacks). Now, the Gators will add another alternate to their long history of uniforms.
Black uniforms make sense for the Gators
While many traditional fans have expressed their distaste with the news that the Gators would wear black uniforms, the Florida Gators have a long history of black uniforms in other sports. Nearly every sport at Florida, including major sports such as basketball and baseball, have a black alternate uniform. Not to mention, its deep history in Florida Gators basketball.
Plus, after the Gators strayed away from Orange and Blue football uniforms for the first time in school history in 2017 with their “Swamp Uniforms”, the precedent was set. It’s often noted that the 2017 Swamp Green uniforms are among recruits favorites during campus visits — but its also noted they are one of the most infamous uniforms in college football history. The black uniforms have a chance to rectify the history of Gators alternates.
Timeline of black uniform news
Black uniform rumors can be traced back to as early as 2015 with the most concrete news coming from former HC Dan Mullen shortly after being hired in 2018:
- Summer 2015: Black jersey-shirts appear on Nike.com and rumors swirl of multiple P5 teams getting black uniforms in Fall 205
- Fall 2015: A mysterious helmet tease prior to homecoming in 2015 appears to show a black helmet, but is instead the white helmets
- Spring 2018: Former HC Dan Mullen remarks “We will have a back jersey combination at some point”
- September 30, 2019: Former HC Dan Mullen says unprompted “I’m not against…rolling out a black jersey someday…” but also adding “oh I had to get everyone stirred up on the black jersey.”
- October 9, 2019: The official Florida Gators football equipment twitter account @GatorsEquipment tweets a video prior to the 2019 LSU game apparently teasing black uniforms for the upcoming game in Death Valley. Additionally, 247 Sports writer Thomas Goldkamp tweets “I was told this summer they had black jerseys for this fall.” Sources confirmed to Gators Uniform Tracker the video was fake and no jerseys were on hand, and Gators Equipment would later admit it was a troll.
- September 21, 2020: UF AD Scott Stricklin tells the Gator Nation Football Podcast “we have no black uniforms ordered…I don’t think we have ever had those ordered.”
- November 23, 2020: WR Jacob Copeland states “Florida is wearing all blacks next year” on an Instagram live with Elite College Football
- March 14, 2022: Billy Napier tells Richard Johnson of Sports Illustrated “We’re going to wear black uniforms here at the University of Florida” and that he anticipated they would be ready for the 2023 season
- May 12, 2022: Billy Napier tells the Northwest Florida Gator Club “We will do [black uniforms] in the 2023 season” also mentioning that the uniforms would be worn “next to last home game…around Veterans Day…and we’re going to auction some of them off…to give it to families of people in the military that were wounded or maybe had some type of setback”
- May 25, 2023: Gators release their 2023 home game designation, marking November 4th as the “Saluting Those Who Serve” game and solidifying the game the black jerseys would be worn.
- August 3, 2023: Retail versions of the black jerseys are seen in the UF Bookstore
Gator Nation can see Florida’s 1st black uniforms in school history November 4th against Arkansas.
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