Ranking the Oklahoma State Helmets

Other uniform rankings

Worst five combos
Best five combos
Second-best five combos

I ranked the all-time OSU helmets last year but I wanted to look at just the helmets in the new uniform era today. There are 13 if you include the new icy white ones. A few, it would appear, have been retired. Others are just getting started. Let’s take a look from No. 13 to No. 1.

13. Orange with Pete

Just … no.

12. Old Gray

Thankfully, it appears these have been put out to pasture.

11. Orange with OSU

I know the lighting has something to do with it, but how are these helmets such a different color than the orange ones with Pete?

10. White Chrome

I don’t love the chrome, but if you’re going to do it, go with all orange.

9. Orange Chrome

Having the earhole where Pete’s mouth should be is either amazing or super creepy.

8. White

Classic — and it seems like they’ve removed the cue ball look from years gone by. They should remove the Cowboys on the forehead and replace it with Pete like the rest of the helmets.

7. Black Pete

It’s growing on me.

6. White Pete Stripe

The base for this one is the white with OSU logo and stripe. They made it better with the throwback Cowboy. They made it worse with Pete. Still, it’s very good.

5. Old White with black OSU

The forerunner to the new white with the black OSU on it. I really loved these lids, despite their cue ball-ness. Bonus points in this photo for the only chin strap that should be worn.

4. Black

3. White Stripe Black OSU

Luscious. The upgrade here over the ones from 2011 is making the facemask black instead of white. I’m a big, big fan of these.

2. Carbon Fiber

It’s crazy how much better this one is than the old gray one. Pete on the forehead is icing on the cake.

1. Throwback Cowboy

Elite. The best OSU has ever worn. I can’t wait until they go White-Black-White with these things.

All photos via USATSI