We're less than a week away from the start of another season of Mississippi State football! In the second year under Joe Moorhead, Penn State graduate transfer Tommy Stevens will take over as starting quarterback. Stevens will look to lead the Bulldogs to a successful season alongside returning stars Kylin Hill, Erroll Thompson, Cam Dantzler, and more.
For once, there doesn't appear to be any major changes to Mississippi State's standard uniform set this season. As always, there are some small tweaks, which will be detailed below. Additionally, it appears that State will once again have multiple "one-off" alternate uniforms in 2019. Last season was an anomaly in that only one alternate was worn; this season, the Bulldogs will have at least two alternates, matching the total from 2016 and 2017, and potentially even three.
For once, there doesn't appear to be any major changes to Mississippi State's standard uniform set this season. As always, there are some small tweaks, which will be detailed below. Additionally, it appears that State will once again have multiple "one-off" alternate uniforms in 2019. Last season was an anomaly in that only one alternate was worn; this season, the Bulldogs will have at least two alternates, matching the total from 2016 and 2017, and potentially even three.
Standard Uniforms
| Expected Standard Uniform Lineup It appears that, for the most part, Mississippi State's standard uniform lineup will remain the same in 2019. That could always change- but I haven't seen anything suggesting the addition or removal of any helmet, jersey, or pants design to the standard rotation. The glossy maroon helmets have been worn in fall practice; I would expect those to be worn in the home opener against Southern Miss, and hopefully in more home games, given that they match the maroon jerseys better than the matte versions. The matte helmets were in the reveal for the TK Martin uniforms (more on those later), suggesting that they will return unchanged in 2019. I really like the matte helmets, just not when paired with the maroon jerseys; hopefully they'll be worn exclusively with white jerseys on the road and with alternates at home this season. Based on a Sunday afternoon Instagram story from WR Stephen Guidry, it appears that the white helmets first introduced in 2015 will be worn in the season opener in the Superdome. This will mark the fifth consecutive season in which that exact design has been worn. |  The expected standard uniform lineup for Mississippi State in 2019 |
| Tweaks to the Standard Uniforms in 2019 The only uniform elements that are confirmed to have tweaks to them are the maroon jerseys. As seen in the team photo and at fan day, the 2019 maroon jerseys will feature the CFB150 patch. Additionally, some players will have tweaks to the collar and name on back font, though it appears that these "changes" are considered so minimal that they will not be applied across the board. |  The subtle tweaks to Mississippi State's football uniforms in 2019 |
| CFB150 Patch For the 150th anniversary of college football, all NCAA Division 1 teams are wearing patches of the "150" logo on the front of the jersey. This is a similar, yet more subtle and more widespread, movement as the 100th anniversary in 1969, when many teams replaced the logo on their helmet with a logo featuring the number "100" inside of a football. Mississippi State did not participate in the 100th anniversary celebration, instead wearing the Flying M on a white helmet that season. Like most, but not all, SEC teams, Mississippi State will wear the patch above the SEC patch on the right chest. The patch will be on all of Mississippi State's jerseys in 2019, including the standard maroon and white jerseys, as well as whatever alternates the Bulldogs wear in 2019. |  The patch that will be worn by all Division 1 football teams in 2019, celebrating 150 years of College Football. |
| Updated PrimeKnit A1 Collar and NOB Font A year ago, I documented State's transition to Adidas's newest template, the PrimeKnit A1. Though a big upgrade over Adidas's previous template, the A1 did have a rather oddly shaped collar. This season, Adidas has rolled out a more traditional collar design for many of its top tier teams, including Washington, Miami, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. Judging by the team photo and fan day, it appears that some players will have the updated collar, will others will not. I assume that it's considered such a minor change that those in charge did not feel there was a need to completely replace the entire jersey set. |  It appears that some Mississippi State players will have the updated collars and NOB font in 2019, while others will not. In this picture, #13 Tyler Williams, left, has the old style, while #3 Cam Dantzler, right, has the updated style. Photo by HailStatePics |
Another detail I noticed from Fan Day is that the players with the newer collar also have a slightly different name on back font. The new font is similar in width, but features serifs on some letters, whereas the 2018 font was completely sans-serif. You can get a glimpse of the new font in this picture from Rhett Hobart; compare the lack of serifs on the "E" in Logan Burnett's older jersey to the presence of serifs on the "E" in Tommy Stevens' newer jersey. For a better look at the newer font, take a look at the Miami Hurricanes' uniforms; they appear to be using the same one.
It is unclear as to whether the white jerseys will feature the updated collar and/or NOB font. If I had to guess, I would think it will be a similar deal as with the maroon jerseys, where some players will have the newer jerseys while some keep the 2018 version. We'll find out pretty soon, as the Bulldogs will be the "away" team against the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in the Superdome this Saturday.
It is unclear as to whether the white jerseys will feature the updated collar and/or NOB font. If I had to guess, I would think it will be a similar deal as with the maroon jerseys, where some players will have the newer jerseys while some keep the 2018 version. We'll find out pretty soon, as the Bulldogs will be the "away" team against the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in the Superdome this Saturday.
Alternate Uniforms
| Announced/Leaked Designs Over the past week, two alternate uniforms designs have been revealed via replica jersey sales. One of them, the "TK Martin" black uniforms, were officially revealed shortly after. The other, special Egg Bowl jerseys featuring gold numbers and stripes, have yet to be revealed officially, and as a result the accompanying helmet and pants designs are not yet known. All we have to go on right now is the replica jersey listing. That being said, an official replica jersey listing is a pretty definite sign that a special Egg Bowl uniform will be worn for the first time since 2014. Though two alternate uniforms in a season has generally been the max for Mississippi State football, there is a possibility that a third, military themed, alternate uniform will be worn against Alabama. If that is the case, nothing has been leaked or revealed as of yet. |  Left: Mississippi State will wear these one-off black uniforms, inspired by the TK Martin Center, against Kentucky on September 21. Right: Replica versions of an alternate jersey that will presumably be worn in the 2019 Egg Bowl are being sold. Neither the helmet nor pants designs have been revealed yet. |
| "TK Martin" Black Uniforms: September 21 vs UK As part of Adidas's "Selfless" uniform series, Mississippi State will wear black uniforms recognizing the TK Martin Center for Technology and Disability against Kentucky on September 21. The uniforms mostly follow State's standard uniform design, with the banner logo on the chest and maroon/gray/maroon stripes on the sleeves and pants. However, the stripes and numbers are outlined by iridescent, color shifting stripes that feature a computer circuit design. |  The 2019 TK Martin jerseys are the fourth black jerseys in program history, and will mark the seventh time that Mississippi State has worn black jerseys. The Bulldogs are 4-2 in the previous six times. |
The uniforms feature white numbers (the second black jerseys in program history to do so, along with the 2016 stars and stripes uniforms) and will be paired with the matte maroon helmets. This will be the first time that State has worn the Matte/Black/Black combo since 2015; the Bulldogs wore silver helmets with the black uniforms in 2016 and 2017 and did not wear black in 2018.
We'll have to see how they look on the field to be sure, but at first glance these appear to be far and away the best black football uniforms State has ever worn. A solid, consistent, AND meaningful design. State's previous black alternates have generally had at least one of those qualities, but never all three.
We'll have to see how they look on the field to be sure, but at first glance these appear to be far and away the best black football uniforms State has ever worn. A solid, consistent, AND meaningful design. State's previous black alternates have generally had at least one of those qualities, but never all three.
| Gold-Accented Egg Bowl Uniforms After a four-year hiatus from 2015 to 2018, gold is back for Mississippi State football. The Bulldogs first wore gold-accented alternate uniforms in the 2011 Egg Bowl, in which the Bulldogs steamrolled Ole Miss to hold on to the Golden Egg for the third consecutive year. The following year, the Bulldogs wore similar gold accents on the road, but this time fell short of Donte Moncrief and the Rebels. Gold continued to be worn in 2013 and 2014, to similar results. In chrome gold helmets in 2013, Dak Prescott entered the game late and led Mississippi State to an overtime victory. In 2014, the gold accents added to the embarrassment as the #4 Bulldogs were defeated in Oxford. |  It appears that gold will be returning to an alternate uniform for Mississippi State in 2019. The Bulldogs previously wore gold accents in four Egg Bowls from 2011 to 2014, winning both of the games in Starkville and losing both of the games in Oxford. |
In 2015, the gold accents were ditched, and it was the right move at the time, just like adding them in 2011 was. In the 2015 Egg Bowl, Mississippi State wore white helmets, maroon jerseys, and white pants in their first Egg Bowl loss in Starkville since 2003. In 2016, Mississippi State rolled over the Rebels in Oxford, winning 55-20 in all-white. In 2017, the Egg Bowl finally had a super traditional uniform matchup, with State in Maroon/Maroon/Gray and Ole Miss in Navy/White/Gray. Sadly, the best Egg Bowl uniform matchup in years was tainted by Nick Fitzgerald's ankle injury and Ole Miss' subsequent win. Most recently, in a slick White/White/Gray combo in 2018, Mississippi State got revenge and won 35-3 over the one of the worst SEC defenses of all time.
So, since the gold accented uniforms were first introduced in 2011, Mississippi State is 2-0 at home with gold and 0-2 at home without gold. Conversely, State is 0-2 on the road with gold but but 2-0 on the road without gold. If you're even a little stitious, you'd draw the conclusion that State should wear the gold accents in Starkville Egg Bowls but stick with traditional uniforms (preferably with white helmets) in Oxford Egg Bowls. By bringing back gold for the home 2019 Egg Bowl, it appears that those in charge at Mississippi State may in fact be a bit superstitious.
The design of the 2019 Egg Bowl jerseys appears to be pretty straightforward, with a maroon base, gold numbers, and gold double stripes on the sleeves, mirroring the current standard jersey design. The only twist is the black fade on the sleeves and around the state outline on the back. The presence of black on this uniform is interesting and seems unnecessary. Its presence on the uniform could range from unnoticeable to detrimental; I don't see any way it will improve the uniform, but I'm waiting to see the actual uniform before passing judgement.
Overall, I don't have any big problems with these Egg Bowl jerseys. The color balance is pretty similar to the 2013 versions, which are popular among fans, albeit mostly because of the fact that they were worn in a really fun Mississippi State victory. How the overall uniform compares to the 2011 and 2013 versions will depend on the helmets and pants designs, which have yet to be revealed. If the pants are solid maroon with gold Adidas and M-State logo and the helmets are the matte helmets with gold facemasks and decals, I think it will be a solid look. There's always the chance that a new helmet will be introduced, like the chrome gold ones were in 2013, but it's just as likely that one of the current helmets will be worn with new decals. Time will tell.
So, since the gold accented uniforms were first introduced in 2011, Mississippi State is 2-0 at home with gold and 0-2 at home without gold. Conversely, State is 0-2 on the road with gold but but 2-0 on the road without gold. If you're even a little stitious, you'd draw the conclusion that State should wear the gold accents in Starkville Egg Bowls but stick with traditional uniforms (preferably with white helmets) in Oxford Egg Bowls. By bringing back gold for the home 2019 Egg Bowl, it appears that those in charge at Mississippi State may in fact be a bit superstitious.
The design of the 2019 Egg Bowl jerseys appears to be pretty straightforward, with a maroon base, gold numbers, and gold double stripes on the sleeves, mirroring the current standard jersey design. The only twist is the black fade on the sleeves and around the state outline on the back. The presence of black on this uniform is interesting and seems unnecessary. Its presence on the uniform could range from unnoticeable to detrimental; I don't see any way it will improve the uniform, but I'm waiting to see the actual uniform before passing judgement.
Overall, I don't have any big problems with these Egg Bowl jerseys. The color balance is pretty similar to the 2013 versions, which are popular among fans, albeit mostly because of the fact that they were worn in a really fun Mississippi State victory. How the overall uniform compares to the 2011 and 2013 versions will depend on the helmets and pants designs, which have yet to be revealed. If the pants are solid maroon with gold Adidas and M-State logo and the helmets are the matte helmets with gold facemasks and decals, I think it will be a solid look. There's always the chance that a new helmet will be introduced, like the chrome gold ones were in 2013, but it's just as likely that one of the current helmets will be worn with new decals. Time will tell.
| Potential Third Alternate Uniform "Military" Uniforms: November 16 vs Alabama? The first glimpse we got into what alternate uniforms Mississippi State might wear in 2019 was when the "What to Wear" schedule was released about a month ago. In addition to "Wear Black" for Kentucky, which we now know is for the TK Martin uniforms, and "Egg Bowl" being highlighted in gold, there are a couple of other interesting things in the schedule. |  The "What to Wear" schedule for Mississippi State fans in 2019. |
First, the LSU game is noted as a "pink game", which makes sense, as it is the only home game in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Expect players to wear pink accessories for that game.
Second, the Alabama game is listed as the 2019 "Military Appreciation" game. The past three seasons, State has worn a one-off uniform honoring the Military in some fashion. The designs have gotten better each year, with the 2016 one being, in my opinion, the worst football uniform Mississippi State has ever worn, while the 2018 Statesman uniform is nearly universally considered State's best alternate uniform ever. With that in mind, it seems very possible that State could do a special military themed uniform for the fourth season in a row.
However, with alternates already being worn against Kentucky and Ole Miss, the idea of a third one-off uniform being worn against Alabama seems less likely. That doesn't mean it's not happening. I have heard rumblings of another specially designed helmet similar to the Statesman helmet from last season. Such a helmet could be a surprise for the TK Martin or Egg Bowl uniforms, but would most likely be for the Alabama game. Though a special helmet would be most likely be worn with an accompanying alternate uniform, it's possible they could just wear it with the regular uniforms. It's also possible that, like other teams have, State could just wear an American-flag themed design on one of the regular helmets for the Alabama game. I would hope we don't go that route, though; it can end up looking really bad.
Second, the Alabama game is listed as the 2019 "Military Appreciation" game. The past three seasons, State has worn a one-off uniform honoring the Military in some fashion. The designs have gotten better each year, with the 2016 one being, in my opinion, the worst football uniform Mississippi State has ever worn, while the 2018 Statesman uniform is nearly universally considered State's best alternate uniform ever. With that in mind, it seems very possible that State could do a special military themed uniform for the fourth season in a row.
However, with alternates already being worn against Kentucky and Ole Miss, the idea of a third one-off uniform being worn against Alabama seems less likely. That doesn't mean it's not happening. I have heard rumblings of another specially designed helmet similar to the Statesman helmet from last season. Such a helmet could be a surprise for the TK Martin or Egg Bowl uniforms, but would most likely be for the Alabama game. Though a special helmet would be most likely be worn with an accompanying alternate uniform, it's possible they could just wear it with the regular uniforms. It's also possible that, like other teams have, State could just wear an American-flag themed design on one of the regular helmets for the Alabama game. I would hope we don't go that route, though; it can end up looking really bad.
TL;DR: Mississippi State will, for the most part, keep their very solid standard football uniforms for the 2019 season. State will wear the CFB 150 patch, and some players will have an updated collar design and name on back font. The Bulldogs will have at least two alternate uniforms: a black uniform recognizing the TK Martin Center that will be worn against Kentucky, and a gold-accented Egg Bowl uniform that will be worn against Ole Miss. There is also the possibility of a military-themed alternate helmet and/or uniform being worn against Alabama.
It should be another fun season in Starkville this fall! Can't wait for thing to get kicked off. Hail State.
It should be another fun season in Starkville this fall! Can't wait for thing to get kicked off. Hail State.
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