Houston is debuting a snazzy new look to coincide with its first game as a Big 12 member. The Cougars will take the field Saturday against UTSA in light blue jerseys that pay homage to the city of Houston’s rich football history.
The new jersey color and red and white shoulder caps pay tribute to the uniforms worn by the former Houston Oilers. The Cougars will also sport a white “Houston” wordmark, surrounded by red, above the numbers on the front of the jersey.
The helmets feature a prominent blue stripe, matching the jersey, flanked on both sides by red stripes with “Houston” in red and blue script on either side. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Cougars will also paint their end zones light blue for the season opener.
The reveal video, narrated by Houston track and field coach and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, can be seen below:
The Oilers formed in 1960 as one of the charter members of the American Football League. In 1970, they joined the NFL in a merger and remained in Houston through the end of the 1996 season. The Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997 and rebranded to the Titans two years later. With a new team identity came new uniforms, ditching the light blue in favor of a two-tone blue that remains in Tennessee’s colorway to this day.
