Five Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s 1988 Throwback Unis Ahead of Homecoming

Even though I knew it could happen, I’m not sure I thought it would happen until the Monday morning big reveal. Oklahoma State is finally doing what we’ve all wanted them to do for years — the Cowboys are going to rock the 1988 Barry Sanders/Mike Gundy/Hart Lee Dykes uniforms, and on the 30-year anniversary of that 10-2 squad no less.

I’ve been thinking about this and collecting thoughts all week on these threads and what they’ll look like as the sun sets on Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday evening with OSU’s 2018 season in the balance.

Let’s dive in.

1. Marrying Old and New

I said this on our podcast this week with OSU CUO Justin Williams, but Oklahoma State has generally done a great job marrying old and new, and this kick back to yesteryear is no different.

This can go poorly as we’ve seen at other schools, but OSU has brought what was a simplistic, straightforward uni into 2018 and modernized it in tasteful ways.

Notably, they haven’t tried to do too much, opting instead to simply use pants, shoulder pads, jersey sizes and helmets from this year and make the 1988 threads fit into that template. As always with OSU, it’s the little stuff like the patch, the numbers on the back of the helmets, the slightly buzzier OKLAHOMA STATE font, the subtle Nike checks (WHERE YOU AT RUSSELL ATHLETICS?!) and Barry’s name inside the neck that make the whole thing pop.

The whole thing is honestly kinda perfect.

2. They Literally Say ‘Sanders’!

It’s almost too good. When Barry tells you this weekend that it took a while for him to get his chance to make a real difference in Stillwater, a certain No. 3 can nod from the end of the aluminum benches. If there were ever a time for Gundy to throw caution to the wind, let his mullet hang out and let the whole thing ride, I’d say honoring the GOAT whose name matches your future at QB is a pretty good time.

3. All-Time Uni Matchup

I know not everybody feels this way, but OSU going 1988 against maybe my favorite road uni in college football — Texas’ all whites — might be the best uni matchup in the history of this great sport. In fact, for me, I think it is (unless I’m proven wrong on Saturday evening). While we’re here, what’s with all the tinfoil hat talk about OSU switching out of the throwbacks? Where are we at in society that you’re going to walk away from the best combo of all time to … anything else?

Ice cold drip. ❄️❄️❄️ #ThisIsTexas #HookEm pic.twitter.com/KRMQxFdrvJ

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 25, 2018

Anyway, Carson Cunningham pointed out that the UCLA-USC color-on-color throwdown is always delectable, which was a great point. OSU-Texas will rock so hard on Saturday night, though.

4. Wear Them Often

Now that you have them, I hope we see them more. All of the OSU throwback helmets of late in the past few Homecoming games have been absolutely elite, and it’s a shame we don’t get to see them more often. This is a little different, though, as it’s the full template. I’m not saying you need to make it a twice-a-year thing, but if they busted them out, say, next season for Bedlam and then again in 2021 for somebody else, I don’t think anybody would be complaining.

5. Another Surprise?

When we talked to Williams on Wednesday he noted that the week was still early and insinuated that there were more surprises to come. He said the same thing to The Oklahoman, and then there was this little gem later on about whether Gundy would rock the No. 12 at any point this weekend.

“No comment,” said Justin Williams, OSU’s director of football equipment operations and the man behind the throwback uniforms. “I’m sure he wouldn’t be too upset if he did. It wouldn’t shock me if one happened to show up.” [NewsOK]

We’re playing with whatever is beyond house money at this point with the shoes that came out to go with the throwbacks, but I’m excited to see if Saturday evening holds one more wrinkle.

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Lastly, big thanks to Nike for sending us a couple of jerseys and some kicks. They certainly didn’t have to do that, but it’s definitely appreciated.

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