Syracuse Football

Ranking Syracuse football’s 2017 uniform combinations

The usual exercise where we try to separate the game results from what we looked like.

By John Cassillo@JohnCassillo Nov 28, 2017, 10:00am EST

NCAA Football: Middle Tennessee at Syracuse

Over the course of the 2017 season, the Syracuse Orange wore 12 different uniform combinations -- one for each game. Some of them we liked quite a bit. Others, we did not enjoy at all. But with the year all over now, we can look back at all 12 uniform combos and rank them. Which worked for Syracuse? And which definitely didn’t?

Keep in mind that how Syracuse played in each respective game has no bearing on the ranking. Or at least it shouldn’t...

1. Game 2: vs. Middle Tennessee

I’m always a sucker for “the classic” look for Syracuse. Orange helmet, blue jerseys, orange pants. The combination is the most iconic for the program and one of the only looks we have left that truly looks like “us.” We typically burn through the fan favorite uniforms early, and this year was no exception.

2. Game 7: vs. Clemson

No, I’m not just associating the result of this game with the uniform combo. The orange uniforms are great, and they pop a whole lot more when paired with blue helmets AND blue pants. This is the only time I find the blue helmets acceptable for Syracuse to wear.

3. Game 6: vs. Pittsburgh

Some of you might not be fans of the all-orange duds, but considering how terribly we failed at implementing them in 2007 vs. Washington, these are a stark improvement. The orange shines and actually matches. When people see it, they go “oh, Syracuse ORANGE.” More orange, please.

NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Syracuse

4. Game 3: vs. Central Michigan

With just the blue pants, the orange takes on a different tone — a bit darker than the other combos above. That’s not a bad thing, but it does almost look like two completely different uniforms sets (the top and the bottom). Still, another look that says we’re the Orange.

5. Game 8: at Miami

The all-whites are always a clean look, but this year’s introduction of the orange chrome facemasks seemed to provide a new and improved take. Consider me a fan of the electric splash of orange chrome there. I’d like to see more of it come next year (assuming we have the same set again).

NCAA Football: Syracuse at Florida State

6. Game 9: at Florida State

It’s one of the few no-frills uniform sets we have available to us. It’s orange because... duh. It’s white because we’re on the road. Everybody’s fine with this being our every-week road set, right?

NCAA Football: Syracuse at North Carolina State

7. Game 7: at NC State

I didn’t love this one at the time, but it’s grown on me a bit. Perhaps it would’ve been a bit better with orange socks, though? Still, it’s an interesting variation on the typical road look. Less orange than normal, but maybe it’s a contender for future use.

NCAA Football: Syracuse at Louisiana State

8. Game 4: at LSU

I feel like a bunch of you disliked this one. But it did look better in-person than it did on the screen. Again, the orange was electric and the white really shined when set against the orange facemask. This is much better than the creamsicle white/orange/white we’ve worn before.

NCAA Football: Central Connecticut State at Syracuse

9. Game 1: Central Connecticut State

The blue helmets are bad, and they look even worse with the blue jerseys. It’s definitely the Virginia-est combination that we have available to us, and that’s not something I’m a fan of. Just too much blue.

10. Game 10: Wake Forest

Loved using the 44 decal on the helmet. HATED the camo and the gratuitous #PLATINUM. Nothing about this said Syracuse, and that’s problematic for a sport that lives and dies on television. If we can put the 44 on an orange helmet without camo, that sounds like something I’d be a big fan of. Maybe let’s make that happen.

11. Game 11: at Louisville

Is that Oklahoma State? Boise State? In any case, it’s not a great look for Syracuse. The white helmets just aren’t as impressive anymore without the chrome facemask either. Maybe I’m being too harsh? Feel free to tell me I’m wrong in the comments.

NCAA Football: Boston College at Syracuse

12. Game 12: Boston College

We haven’t worn the all-blues since an ill-fated game against Clemson in 2015. There’s a good reason they’ve stayed away in the time afterward. There’s virtually no orange here, the helmets are blue and so is everything else. The monochrome is bland and uninspired. It even made BC’s uniform set look less boring.

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That’s simply my take on Syracuse’s 12 uniform combinations from the 2017 season, but there are probably plenty more opinions to consider. Feel like you have a better ranking system? Go ahead and share below.