Sometimes it's easy to pick out the obvious trend for a new college football season. Black uniforms, gray uniforms, matte helmets -- they've each had their moment.

But this season's uniform trend is more subtle. In fact, most fans won't even notice it. And here it is: A bunch of teams are going with raised lettering on their neck bumpers (the pads that stick out at the back of the helmet).

Biggest uni trend of 2017: raised lettering on neck bumpers. pic.twitter.com/knjiRFmGlx — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 23, 2017

Granted, going from flat to 3-D lettering on an inconspicuous helmet accessory probably isn't the kind of thing that's going to get the average fan's pulse to start pounding. Fortunately, there's plenty of other uniform news to report for 2017, and we'll run down all of it in this, the annual Uni Watch college football season preview, where we cover all the new uniforms for the 130 FBS teams.

As usual, we've prepared a comprehensive team-by-team rundown, organized by conference. In addition to uniform changes, we've included updates to logos, equipment, field designs and anything else related to a team's visual program. If a school isn't listed here, that means it hasn't yet announced any changes for this season, at least that we're aware of (though schools will undoubtedly be unveiling additional uniforms and helmets -- blackout, whiteout, camouflage, stars and stripes, chrome and so on -- as the season progresses).

Ready? Deep breath -- here we go.

Jump to a conference:

ACC

• Georgia Tech has a new logo marking the centennial of the school's 1917 national championship. No word yet on whether it will be incorporated into the uniform or used just for marketing purposes.

Georgia Tech has new logo commemorating centennial of 1917 nat'l championship. They haven't decided yet if it will be worn on the uniform. pic.twitter.com/N3UABIhXle — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 25, 2017

Also: Tech is one of two FBS teams that are still outfitted by Russell Athletic. That will change next season, because the school has just inked a new deal with Adidas. (The other Russell-outfitted FBS school is Southern Miss, but that is likely to change next year as well.)

• Miami has two new solid-colored alternate uniforms: a green design, which will be worn Sept. 23 against Toledo, and a black model, complete with a black helmet, which will debut Oct. 12 against Georgia Tech (additional info here).

• Last year Michigan became the first NCAA school to wear the Jordan Brand logo on its football uniforms (or, to put it another way, it became to the first football team to wear a basketball icon). Now North Carolina has joined, as the Tar Heels' new uniforms will feature the Jumpman graphic. They also include a dark navy set that looks very close to black (here's some additional info and photos).

@UniWatch North Carolina joins Michigan as the 2nd NCAA team to rep Jordan. Unis on the left are Navy, not black pic.twitter.com/s3rphoacnL — Austin Zelo (@AustinZelasko11) August 6, 2017 Origin of flight. @TarHeelFootball continues the Jumpman legacy on the gridiron. pic.twitter.com/LxqGGKLQbd — Jordan (@Jumpman23) August 6, 2017

In addition, UNC is one of several schools that are going with raised neck bumper lettering this season:

New addition to the back of our game helmets this year are @3DBUMPERS. 📷:@travishipps pic.twitter.com/jTvs3oICGu — UNC Equipment (@UNCEquipment) August 17, 2017

Finally, two sections of Kenan Memorial Stadium's bleachers are being converted to chairs (additional info here).

UNC Converting Two Sections of Kenan Stadium to Chairbackshttps://t.co/erFebxuurw — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) June 12, 2017

• NC State is adding a 125th anniversary helmet decal:

NC State wearing 125th-anniversary helmet decal this season. pic.twitter.com/DaqpENWZH9 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 31, 2017

In addition, the Wolfpack will wear a solid-black alternate uniform for the Oct. 5 game against Louisville:

Also: Letters and numbers on all NC State jerseys will be screen-printed, rather than sewn.

• Pitt will wear its excellent retro uniforms for the Oct. 14 homecoming game against NC State and will give away a bobblehead of James Conner wearing the retro threads (further info here):

It looks like the Panthers will also be wearing the throwbacks on Nov. 9 against UNC.

Meanwhile, a secondary logo and possible color change are reportedly in the works:

• No photos yet, but Syracuse will have a new Military Appreciation Day helmet logo for the Nov. 11 game against Wake Forest. It won't be revealed until the week leading up to the game.

• Virginia, whose cleats had been a mix of white, orange and blue, is switching to black.

• Virginia Tech has added a 125th anniversary helmet decal and is going with raised lettering on its nose and neck bumpers:

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American Athletic

• The American Athletic Conference wants to have the same status as the so-called Power 5 conferences, so late last season, several American Athletic schools began wearing "P6" helmet decals for "Power Six." Look for most schools in the conference to continue doing that this year (additional info here and here).

UCF has P6 stickers affixed to their helmets tonight. Part of Mike Aresco and @American_FB's "Power Six" initiative. pic.twitter.com/C5NNmjA7pw — Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) November 5, 2016

• No photos yet, but Houston's familiar "UH" helmet logo will have a Texas flag theme for the season opener against UTSA on Sept. 2.

• Very nice new set for Navy. The gold chest lettering looks great on the home jersey, and the six-stripe motif, representing America's six naval fleets, works well on the shoulders and pants.

• Nothing new on the design front at Temple, but here's an interesting story: Deep-pocketed donors can now sponsor the team's nine single-digit uniform numbers, which are typically assigned to the team's "toughest players." If you've already bought a luxury box and have money left over, this is right up your alley.

• Here's great news out of Tulane, which will now have its excellent "angry wave" logo at midfield:

Tulane now has Angry Wave logo at midfield (h/t @Clintau24). pic.twitter.com/TmcbyaNkU7 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 21, 2017

• No photo yet, but Tulsa is adding a memorial patch for school president Steadman Upham, who passed away July 30. A team spokesman says the patch will be white with black letters that read "Stead."

In addition, the Golden Hurricane have a new field design this year, along with new shoes and gloves:

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Big Ten

• Illinois has removed the center stripe from its orange, navy and white helmets (though the stripe will remain on the Grey Ghost helmet, which will be worn for homecoming on Oct. 28 against Wisconsin):

As some have noticed, slight change to our helmets this year. #Illini 🔶🔷

a href="https:twitter.comUniWatch"@UniWatcha a href="https:twitter.comPhilHecken"@PhilHeckena a href="https:twitter.comuniformswag"@Uniformswaga a href="https://t.co/egKQgpqueD">pic.twitter.com/egKQgpqueD — Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) June 22, 2017

Meanwhile, here's a really good story about Illinois assistant equipment manager John Birdsell, who has been on the team's equipment staff for more than 30 years.

• Indiana has a new alternate uniform that salutes the memory of former coach Terry Hoeppner. The design, which features a script chest mark, granite-themed numerals, will be worn for the Sept. 23 game against Georgia Southern (additional photos and info here and here):

• Iowa's Tigerhawk logo will now be appearing as a midfield mark.

Iowa announces Kinnick Stadium will feature the TigerHawk logo at midfield this season pic.twitter.com/7qvAZpP3qo — Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) June 12, 2017

Also: Coach Kirk Ferentz recently said the school would wear an alternate uniform this season, though it isn't yet clear when that will happen or what the design will look like.

• Maryland is celebrating its 125th season and will mark the occasion with 1940s-inspired uniforms for the Oct. 28 homecoming game against Indiana:

• No details yet, but Michigan will reportedly have an alternate uniform for at least one game this season.

• Michigan State has added a white design to its helmet mix:

GO GREEN! GO WHITE! pic.twitter.com/hFi0XMPw3X — MSU Football EQ (@SpartanFB_eq) June 14, 2017

The Spartans have also made a subtle adjustment to their pants striping, which now goes all the way up to the hip:

Looks like Michigan State's pants striping will now go all the way to the hip. Old version on left, new on right. (h/t @msuking & @tesar23) pic.twitter.com/TzhzuDyUHd — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

Meanwhile, if you want a good sense of what goes on behind the scenes of a major school's uniform and equipment program, check out this excellent article about the Michigan State equipment staff. Great stuff.

• Minnesota's anthracite uniform, first worn against Michigan in 2015, will return for a game this season. Date and opponent to be announced.

Per team spox, Minnesota will revive anthracite uni this year (previously worn in 2015 vs. Michigan). pic.twitter.com/z6qWKWe4EN — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 2, 2017

• Nebraska will mark the 20th anniversary of its 1997 undefeated championship team by wearing mesh-patterned throwbacks for the Oct. 7 game against Wisconsin. The idea is that the numerals mimic the old mesh jerseys -- an interesting approach (additional info here).

Nebraska celebrates 20th anniversary of undefeated 1997 team with mesh-patterned graphics. Will be worn Oct. 7 vs. Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/3NNiTY7zvE — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 27, 2017 Comparison of original 1997 Nebraska mesh jersey & new mesh-themed throwback. Orig TV numbers were not mesh but are faux-mesh on throwback. pic.twitter.com/AC5V5dM5Ch — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 27, 2017

• Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett is adding a Roman numeral to his nameplate. Last season he just had his surname.

@UniWatch JT Barrett is going to wear Roman numerals on his nameplate this year. pic.twitter.com/5FqDsJCOEM — Mark McClure (@MarkMcClureCPC) August 14, 2017

• Penn State will wear a retro-style uniform for the Sept. 30 game against Indiana. As you might expect, it isn't radically different from the current uniform, but there are some good period details (additional info here and here):

Penn State wearing "Generations of Greatness" uniform on Sept. 30 vs. Indiana. pic.twitter.com/6CfbT83mnn — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 4, 2017 Proud Past-Bright Future. Special retro uniforms coming to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 30 vs. Indiana. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/TS9nbghq2B — Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) June 15, 2017

• Rutgers has switched from Nike to Adidas, which has restored the school name to the chest and added a New Jersey state outline above the nameplate on the back.

Rutgers has switched from Nike to Adidas. Here's a before/after comparison of the new football jersey. (h/t @storm2k) pic.twitter.com/jvjHmVrWIb — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 20, 2017 New Rutgers uniforms include NJ state outline above nameplate. pic.twitter.com/yh2wfSgHUv — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

In addition, the Scarlet Knights have a new black alternate uniform. No, that doesn't make much sense. Yes, they're wearing it anyway, on Nov. 4 against Maryland (additional info here).

Rutgers unveils new black alternate uni, to be worn Nov. 4 vs. Maryland. Additional info here: https://t.co/FCciL0cBWj pic.twitter.com/N0wrlf1B2w — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 3, 2017

• Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium turns 100 years old this season, and the Badgers are marking the occasion with several initiatives. First, home games will feature retro-themed ticket designs:

There's also a new football design:

This season at home, the #Badgers will be using a special edition @Wilson_Football in honor of #CampRandall100 💯 pic.twitter.com/upodL8WUxa — Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 11, 2017

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Big 12

• No specifics yet, but Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley recently said that the Sooners would likely have some alternate uniforms this season. Stay tuned.

• TCU is going with raised lettering on its nose and neck bumpers and has also updated the collar on its black jersey, which will now have purple frog skin:

TCU going with raised lettering on nose and neck bumpers this year. pic.twitter.com/w0hV8nXF4C — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 18, 2017 Collar on TCU's black jersey now has purple frog skin. pic.twitter.com/MGfzfzr22l — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 18, 2017

• Texas has become the first FBS school to use special sensor technology in all of its helmets. There's a good rundown in this video:

The Longhorns also have new cleats, which almost qualifies as major news for a team that makes so few changes to its visual program.

New Texas Longhorns football cleats. pic.twitter.com/cijVKY7pNF — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) June 8, 2017

• Texas Tech has tweaked its jersey typography, though the team's basic look is largely unchanged.

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Conference USA

• Florida Atlantic is going with uniform numbers on its white helmets this season:

Florida Atlantic going with numbers on helmet this year. Old version on left, new on right (h/t @Ayden_Maher).` pic.twitter.com/XdjvkMrwhC — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 22, 2017

• Florida International's new blue and white jerseys, pants and helmets can be mixed and matched. There are new claw marks on the hips, too.

• Western Kentucky has changed from Russell Athletic to Nike, which has given the HIlltoppers a fairly traditional look:

WKU has also released a graphic indicating which colors fans should wear to each home game:

Gameday is approaching, here's what to wear to our 6 home games this fall!



Get your gear here ➡️ https://t.co/Hp0r5BCdGq #GoTops pic.twitter.com/II2o6akRnW — WKU Sports (@WKUSports) August 14, 2017

• Minor changes for Marshall, which has added a black pant option at home and changed its road jersey chest mark from the team name to the school name:

Minor work to @HerdZone football jerseys. White top now says "Marshall" instead of "The Herd" added black pants option for home. @UniWatch pic.twitter.com/Qg2utmw7nr — Matthew Robinson (@MattRobinson_77) July 17, 2017

Also: Marshall is adding player names to its jerseys this season. The Herd had gone NNOB (that's "no name on back," for those of you who don't speak uni) in recent seasons.

• Pretty conservative new set for Middle Tennessee State, except for the lettering that's still running down the pant legs.

Want to know more? Here's an article about the guy who designed those uniforms.

• North Texas has a new uniform set, with jerseys, pants and helmets all appearing in green, white and black (additional photos here):

• Rice unveiled a new set of logos earlier this year and now has new uniforms to match:

Updated chest mark and number font for Rice. Old version on left, new on right. pic.twitter.com/atTZ0wmAzz — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

Also: Rice will once again wear pink helmet logos for a game in October (date and opponent still to be finalized) and will likely wear flag-themed helmet logos for the Oct. 7 game against Army.

Per team spox, Rice will wear pink helmet logo for a game in October, and may also wear flag-themed logo when playing Army on Oct. 7. pic.twitter.com/5D7EoNMyLi — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• Southern Miss Will have new gold jerseys this season. In addition, the Golden Eagles will mark the 20th anniversary of their 1997 conference championship by wearing 1997 throwbacks. No word yet on when they'll be worn.

• After a two-year hiatus, UAB is set to retake the field this season, and their new uniforms look pretty sharp (further info here):

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Independents

• Last year Army added a memorial decal for sophomore cornerback Brandon Jackson, who was killed in a car accident in September. The Black Knights will continue to wear the decal this year and next, until the point when he would have graduated.

Army will continue to wear Brandon Jackson memorial decal, up until the point when he would have graduated. pic.twitter.com/aMuUQPqBsD — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• BYU has added a memorial patch for former coach LaVell Edwards, who died in December.

BYU will honor the legacy of LaVell Edwards with a special patch on the @BYUfootball uniforms throughout 2017. #RepTheY #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/2W2elOGQEw — Duff Tittle (@dufftittle) June 23, 2017

The Cougars have also released a guide showing fans which color to wear on game days -- even on the road:

@UniWatch @PhilHecken BYU released a guide for what color its fans should wear to each game. pic.twitter.com/f5MGqekUne — Chris (@sirhc999) July 24, 2017

• Notre Dame will not have a Shamrock Series game this year, but the Irish will still have a special uniform for one game: They'll will wear a Knute Rockne tribute uni for the Nov. 18 showdown with Navy. The design is not a pure throwback to an earlier Irish uniform but features lots of Rockne-themed elements (additional info and photos here and here):

On November 18th, we come together to honor the man who built it all.



Introducing our ROCKNE Heritage Uniform. pic.twitter.com/7jmysrepFM — Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 18, 2017

Speaking of legendary Notre Dame coaches, the Irish will memorialize legendary coach Ara Parseghian by replacing their "Irish" nose bumper decal with "Ara."

ND's helmets will have the name "Ara" in place of "Irish" this season per this video clip: https://t.co/CQLU6NyhBD pic.twitter.com/16QxoBU7Ll — Boba Bettis (@CBusIrish) August 3, 2017

Meanwhile, the Irish have new jackets to wear when traveling to road games:

Also: The Irish have a new football design, with the leprechaun mascot replaced by the phrase "Play Like a Champion Today."

New game balls for this season are here #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/TKxMuKOy89 — Ryan Grooms (@NDFBEquipment) July 27, 2017

Also-also: The Irish have been using shamrock merit decals in practice, though so far there's no indication that they'll be doing this on their game helmets:

Another image of them on QB Brandon Wimbush's practice helmet. pic.twitter.com/Fm9NDLF4RM — Steven Santillo (@SoSantillo) August 15, 2017

That might seem sacrilegious, but it's worth noting that Notre Dame used blue merit stars back in the Parseghian era.

Finally, it's worth noting that the Irish have a very cool season-ticket design this year:

Amazing job on the tix once again @RobMKelly @NDTIX These are simply stunning. Will probably use the app as much as possible to keep tix pic.twitter.com/XwzZzFe0hF — Joe Quinn (@laxjoe26) August 17, 2017

• UMass, now in its second year as an independent after a stint in the MAC, has added a memorial decal for former offensive lineman Michael Boland, who died earlier this year while preparing for the NFL draft.

UMass adding memorial "MB" decal for former offensive lineman Michael Boland, who died earlier this year. pic.twitter.com/wyq3yYSAGO — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 22, 2017

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MAC

• Last season, the SEC began issuing special "graduate" patches for players who had earned their undergraduate degrees but had not yet exhausted their eligibility. The MAC is doing something similar this year, with 55 players slated to wear the patch this fall.

MAC following SEC's lead, issuing patches for players who've graduated but are still eligible. 55 players will wear them. (h/t @Clintau24) pic.twitter.com/v2RhxLYSFT — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 9, 2017

• No photos yet, but lots of news for Akron. First, the Zips will be adding a new set of gold pants to the mix. Second, expect some new helmet looks, as the team mixes and matches shell colors, face mask colors and side logos. Third, the homecoming game -- Oct. 7 against Ball State -- will once again feature a throwback helmet but not the one that was worn for last year's homecoming. Fourth, Senior Night -- Nov. 21 against Kent State -- will once again feature the team's "full roo" helmet logo, but with a different helmet color than the gold shell that was used last season.

Per team spox, Akron will again wear "Full Roo" helmet logo on Senior Night (11/21), but different color shell from last year, shown below. pic.twitter.com/p1tfQt1JLp — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 10, 2017

• Ball State has a new helmet design this year, with a larger cardinal icon on the right side and the school name on the left. New pants and face masks will be swapped out to match the pant colors.

New helmet design for the 2017 season! @HealyAwards pic.twitter.com/pHFRhNtbxw — Ball State Equipment (@BallStateEquip) June 21, 2017 Ball State has new larger helmet logo, new pants in all 3 colors. Will wear solid-black vs. Miami OH on Nov. 21. pic.twitter.com/t2BJVcJ64L — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 4, 2017

• Bowling Green will hold a Military Appreciation Day promotion for the Sept. 30 game against Akron. The Falcons' helmets will feature star-spangled side logos, and the center stripe will include the names of the 111 Bowling Green students who have died in the line of service. Additional info here.

On this Memorial Day, we unveil our Military Appreciation Helmets for our Sept. 30 game vs. Akron. #NeverForget https://t.co/X8xJqanMTR pic.twitter.com/e26vefDCk2 — BG Football (@BG_Football) May 29, 2017

• Last season, Eastern Michigan went without nameplates and had feathers on the shoulders of its road jerseys. Both of those elements are changing this season:

EMU ditching feathers on shoulders of white jersey (striping now matches green jersey) and adding players' names to jerseys this season. pic.twitter.com/HcFHGm2COv — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 18, 2017

In addition, the Eagles are adding a new steel-gray alternate helmet to the mix:

EMU adding new "Factory Steel" helmet option this year. pic.twitter.com/jH0rlw2vy9 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 18, 2017

• Kent State has installed new turf for 2017. Interestingly, the program is using two different fonts for end zone lettering:

A view of the new turf from above pic.twitter.com/1WFGoXi89i — Kent State Football (@KentStFootball) August 17, 2017

• Ohio has changed from Russell Athletic to Adidas, which has left the Bobcats' traditional look largely unchanged:

Tomorrow starts the #ThreeStripeLife !! Excited to get camp underway - big expectations, we are ready to meet them! #NEWHE18HTS #BLEEDGREEN pic.twitter.com/S2D1ei2J52 — Ryan Bainbridge (@RyanBainbridge0) July 30, 2017

• Toledo has changed suppliers and is now being outfitted by Nike, which has given the Rockets a no-frills look and introduced gray as an alternate color (additional info here):

Just got a first look at the new Toledo Football uniforms from Nike. pic.twitter.com/Qa5nwMLj4g — Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) July 2, 2017

• Western Michigan has new white jerseys with sharp-looking sleeve stripes:

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Mountain West

• Air Force will wear a 70th anniversary patch for the Oct. 14 game against UNLV:

Air Force will wear 70th-anniversary patch on Oct. 14 vs. UNLV. pic.twitter.com/xCIY5MTH7R — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 3, 2017

In addition, the Falcons will wear an alternate jersey and helmet for the Nov. 11 game against Wyoming (Veteran's Day), but the design hasn't yet been finalized.

• Boise State has added some interesting shoulder stripes, which look particularly good on the white jerseys:

Boise State's latest uniform set features new shoulder stripes. pic.twitter.com/GzNabJlh0w — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

In addition, the Broncos' jerseys now have "Blue Collar" embroidered on, uh, the blue collar (more on that here):

Boise State jerseys now have "Blue Collar" embroidered on the inner collar. pic.twitter.com/rOiTeLo36Q — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

Also: Former Boise State football coach and athletic director Lyle Smith recently passed away at the age of 101. A team spokesman says some sort of memorial is likely -- possibly a helmet decal, a field logo or both -- but plans haven't yet been finalized.

• Most subtle move of the year goes to Colorado State, which has added "CSU" and "Rams" to a pair of extremely inconspicuous spots on its Riddell helmets. Equipment manager Kris Young says the Rams are the first team in the nation to do this.

Colorado State adding team branding to spots where Riddell normally puts its own branding. CSU equip mgr says they're first team to do this. pic.twitter.com/faDtnMhnHp — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 9, 2017

CSU also has a new stadium this year. Additional info here.

Here's how the field will look at Colorado State's new stadium. More info here: https://t.co/DCWYoPhGgd

And here: https://t.co/d8NUH3qYcQ pic.twitter.com/2Qgwk1W6zt — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

The stadium has its own inaugural-season logo. For now, it's just being used for marketing purposes, with no plans to use on the team's jerseys or helmets.

We have the KEYS! Follow the link to the latest AD Statement. Special day. Go Rams! https://t.co/c47KqyqDxV pic.twitter.com/eYEX0olugd — Joe Parker (@JoeParkerCSU) June 9, 2017

• Fresno State will retire Derek Carr's No. 4 during halftime of the season opener against Incarnate Word on Sept. 2.

Fresno State will retire Derek Carr's No. 4 on Sept. 2. https://t.co/cxnmoCQnAO pic.twitter.com/Cm9YFiYSU5 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

• Hawaii is the latest team to switch to matte-finish helmets (additional info here):

Check out the new #HawaiiFB helmets for 2017, debuted tonight for the Rainbow Warriors and @NaKoaFootball!#LiveAlohaPlayWarrior pic.twitter.com/PWDhtp44db — Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) August 14, 2017

• Very straightforward new design for Nevada. The set includes a new matte-blue helmet, and new coach Jay Norvell has restored players' names to the back of their jerseys -- something the Wolf Pack haven't done since 2013 (additional info here).

New Nevada uniforms. Player names included for first time since 2013. pic.twitter.com/uxApsrJAiQ — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 20, 2017 Nevada's new helmet. Matte navy w/ silver flake. Facemask, which was silver, is now navy. pic.twitter.com/t9o4DeyNYO — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 20, 2017

• Downgrade of the season goes to San Jose State, which has changed from Nike to Adidas, with disastrous results:

SJSU changing from Nike to Adidas this year. Old version on left, new on right. pic.twitter.com/MQ2fKHa2Zm — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

• UNLV is commemorating its 50th season with a new logo, which will be worn as a helmet decal and will appear on the field:

UNLV adding 50th-season helmet decal. Logo will also appear on the field. pic.twitter.com/ReVzBTgkaP — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 19, 2017

In addition, the Rebels will wear a 1984 throwback helmet for the season-opening game against Howard on Sept. 2. It's similar to the one from the Randall Cunningham era but without the center striping (because the team now has the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" decal on the back), and the face mask and side lettering are metallic red instead of flat red.

UNLV throwback helmet for home opener vs. Howard on 9/2. Similar to '84 Cunningham-era but no center stripe. Red lettering/mask are chrome. pic.twitter.com/VxA0D46IFq — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 22, 2017

In other helmet news, UNLV is offering a set of mini-helmets to fans who buy season tickets (further info here):

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Pac-12

• Remember the gradient sleeve striping and weird number font that Arizona had been wearing? The good news is both of those elements have been scrapped. The bad news is they have been replaced by shoulder stripes that wrap around too far into the chest area and a new font rendered in a comically large size:

On the plus side, there's a handsome new helmet with a matte-finish shell:

Arizona's new uniform set includes a ne matte-finish blue helmet. pic.twitter.com/rC6Ox4bTwt — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• No reported changes for Arizona State, but the Sun Devils have announced their home uniform combinations for the entire season -- a fairly unusual move for a college team. They've also announced a "stripe-out" for the Oct. 28 game against USC, with fans asked to wear maroon or gold, depending on the section where they'll be seated. (Of course, those are basically USC's colors as well, which makes this game an odd choice for this promotion.)

• Cal has changed outfitters, moving from Nike to Under Armour. The result is a classic-looking, very handsome new uniform set featuring a signature stripe pattern. Nicely done.

Also: The Golden Bears have a new field design this season. The striping from the uniforms is repeated in the end zones:

New field surface and field design for Cal. More: https://t.co/4fa7cPvyhW pic.twitter.com/zX7xXrNY4i — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

The field also has a unique feature: Because Memorial Stadium is located above the Hayward Fault, a jagged line has been painted outside the north end zone:

The fault line at Memorial Stadium, north end zone pic.twitter.com/nqKA8yIQHh — Ryan Gorcey (@RGBearTerritory) August 6, 2017

• We've all seen plenty of cancer-awareness uniforms in recent years, but Oregon is taking that concept a step further. For the Ducks' Sept. 9 game against Nebraska, they'll wear a new uniform that was designed with the assistance of three pediatric cancer survivors. It's a great story, and the uniforms aren't bad either (additional photos and info here):

That one new design notwithstanding, the word out of Eugene is that the Ducks likely wear fewer uniform combinations this season. They might even -- brace yourselves -- wear the same exact uniform for two consecutive games. Shocker! But in true Oregon fashion, they've managed to raise some eyebrows by wearing ginormous numerals on their practice jerseys:

Oregon with LARGE new numbers on practice unis, has Grizzlies-esque line through font @UniWatch via https://t.co/VM0VhnwquH pic.twitter.com/rbOC0UGMv6 — Chad Robison (@DubCRobison) August 10, 2017

• Oregon State has a new design that has all the telltale signs of being awful: It features a charcoal jersey over black pants, it features silver and metallic orange (perilously close to silver and gold, which is pretty much the definition of precious metal overkill), and Nike gave the package an annoying name and an overhyped website. But despite all of that, it works!

Charcoal over black sounds like overkill, but it actually works pretty well here for Oregon State. More info: https://t.co/iL7DXeTD56 pic.twitter.com/SuLrzom1i3 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

• UCLA, which had been outfitted by Adidas, is now with Under Armour, which has given the Bruins an absolutely classic look. Best of all: full-length UCLA stripes. May it always be so.

• Utah has revived the school's old "Utah Stripe" on its sleeves and pants, part of a redesign that has given the Utes three new uniforms: red, black and white (additional info here):

Meanwhile, here's an interesting story: Utah recently inked a deal to make Pepsi the school's official beverage. But Pepsi's signature color is blue, which also happens to be the primary team color for Utah's chief rival, BYU. As a result, Pepsi has agreed to omit the blue background in its on-campus signage. Additional info here.

• It's hard to believe now, but as recently as 10 years ago, almost every college football team had only one helmet design -- except for Washington State, which wore silver helmets at home and red on the road. Now most teams have a wide range of helmet options, including the Cougars, whose new set offers enough mix-and-match combinations to last several seasons (additional photos here).

Endless mix/match possibilities for Washington State. pic.twitter.com/T1ZPJvC1lb — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

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SEC

• Arkansas is planning some sort of memorial tribute -- maybe a jersey patch, maybe a helmet decal, maybe something else -- for former coach Frank Broyles, who died earlier this month. Details to follow shortly.

• Subtle change for Auburn, which is going with three-dimensional nose bumper lettering:

Auburn going with 3-D nose bumper lettering this year. pic.twitter.com/jwGpPAgmyk — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

Also: Auburn will be using a new football design this year, with a tiger eye motif:

In addition, Auburn has a sharp-looking 125th anniversary logo, but a team representative has confirmed that it will be used only for marketing purposes and will not be worn as a jersey patch or helmet decal.

Per team spox, Auburn football's 125th-anniversary logo will be used for marketing, not worn on jersey or helmet. https://t.co/oMal2paWGs — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 10, 2017

• Some very subtle changes for Florida, the most notable of which is that the Gatorhead logo on the pants has been moved from the hip to the upper-right thigh, so it no longer interrupts the pants striping. Speaking of which, the striping pattern on the orange pants now matches the sleeve striping on the jersey. The Nike logo, which had been on the right thigh, has been moved to the left side.

Biggest change is the Gatorhead no longer breaks the pant stripe and is now located on the front @UniWatch @PhilHecken pic.twitter.com/gQIovBT66h — Brock Brames (@BrockBrames) August 1, 2017 Looks like a minor tweak to the @GatorsFB uniforms - pants now have a Gator head on the right hip. Nike swoosh moves to left hip. @UniWatch pic.twitter.com/8Rtof24mFR — Ryan King (@RKingGator) July 18, 2017

• Georgia has switched to a new Nike template, the primary result of which is that the Bulldogs no longer have to wear that annoying Flywire collar -- a huge upgrade.

Good look at how UGA is updating to new jersey template this season. Major upgrade to the collar. (h/t @aawagner011) pic.twitter.com/wNjq6jDukG — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 20, 2017

• Kentucky's longtime home, Commonwealth Stadium, no longer exists -- at least not by that name. Thanks to a new naming rights deal, it is now known as Kroger Field.

The new name will be easy to remember because they're stenciling it onto the turf:

New Kroger Field logos being put in Lexington pic.twitter.com/ptxnPpihfm — Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) August 21, 2017

• LSU's shoulder stripes were short, then they were long, and now they're short again:

In addition, the Tigers are going with 3-D neck bumper lettering this year.

We've seen 3-D lettering on nose bumpers for several years. Now teams are going to 3-D *neck* bumper lettering, as seen here for LSU. pic.twitter.com/DVVXzeZK03 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

• Mississippi State has adjusted its sleeve striping and collar trim. The black outlining on the sleeves and collar is gone and gray striping has been added to the sleeves, which mirrors the striping on the pants:

Mississippi State changing sleeve stripes and collar trim this season. Old version on left, new on right. pic.twitter.com/cFmOIHKD0a — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 23, 2017 New gray striping on Mississippi State's sleeves matches gray stripe on the pants. pic.twitter.com/LnOq7FIlpy — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 23, 2017

Mississippi State adding state outline decal to back of helmet and going with raised neck bumper lettering this year. pic.twitter.com/ocuLj9yvRN — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 23, 2017

In addition, the Bulldogs have added a Mississippi outline decal to the back of their helmet, and have also gone from flat to raised neck bumper lettering:

• Missouri has simplified its look by scrapping the contrasting shoulder yoke and sleeves:

Mizzou apparently dropping the contrasting yoke/sleeves this year. Old version on left, new on right. pic.twitter.com/xlouWN2MVR — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 7, 2017

• Thanks to a new tailoring template, Ole Miss's shoulder stripes have gotten significantly shorter.

Old Miss changing templates this year, resulting in shorter shoulder stripes. Old version on left, new on right. pic.twitter.com/j5VA8gJJ7a — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• Tennessee quarterback Quinten Dormady plans to wear loose, long-ish sleeves this season -- a look that is evocative of former Vols signal-caller Peyton Manning (additional info here).

Vols QB @qdormady says he'll rock the Peyton sleeves this fall. "You're looking at them. This is what I'll wear." pic.twitter.com/xfpWCYUh3X — Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) August 13, 2017

• Texas A&M has a new maroon alternate uniform with black accents, which will be worn against Mississippi State on Oct. 28. The helmet has a maroon-to-black gradation that will supposedly have different looks depending on the angle from which it is viewed (additional photos and info here):

• The players aren't the only ones who wear uniforms. Over at Vanderbilt, the school's on-field mascot, Mr. Commodore, has a new uniform of his own:

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Sun Belt

• Appalachian State is another school adding raised lettering to its neck bumpers:

Got some new swag in for our helmets today, adding a back 3D bumper to join our front bumpers. Thanks to @3DBUMPERS for helping us out! pic.twitter.com/lvx7hjMikL — App State Equipment (@appstequipment) August 18, 2017

• No photos yet, but Arkansas State equipment manager Jason Jones says the team has new uniforms with reflective numbers and letters.

In addition, there's a new logo marking the 10th anniversary of the team's name change from Indians to Red Wolves. At present, there are no plans for it to appear on the uniform.

Arkansas State has new logo marking 10th anniversary of changing team name from Indians to Red Wolves. Will not be worn on uniform. pic.twitter.com/Ig1Pi8qFpV — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 3, 2017

Also: Plans are afoot to make improvements and expansions to the north end zone at Centennial Bank Stadium (additional info and renderings here):

Arkansas State planning expansion of north end zone at Centennial Bank Stadium. Details: https://t.co/8oZhHJW78x pic.twitter.com/hsCFfa3QbY — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• Coastal Carolina is joining the FBS in 2017 and marking the occasion by adding a teal alternate jersey:

The TEAL is real. Check out the Teal tops we will be wearing in our first #FBS season.https://t.co/bRDYF4YENL#BallAtTheBeach | #BAM pic.twitter.com/C4SAH0eWXZ — CCU FOOTBALL (@CoastalFootball) August 2, 2017

In addition, the Chanticleers are dropping their matte-black helmets and going back to black glossies with gold flake, which is what they wore from 2003 through 2013.

Coastal Carolina, now in FBS, scrapping matte-finish helmets (left), going back to black with gold flake. pic.twitter.com/WFZtWSyYAT — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 8, 2017

• Georgia Southern is another school switching to matte-finish helmets.

Georgia Southern switching to matte-finish helmets this year. (Numbers will be added, as usual, once season starts.) pic.twitter.com/Gt7CJQessG — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 2, 2017

Also: A team spokesman says the Eagles will wear two alternate uniforms this season, but the dates, opponents and designs haven't yet been announced.

• Georgia State has switched outfitters, changing from Nike to Under Armour. The team's new set includes blue, white and black elements that can be mixed and matched (additional info here):

• Back in 1987, when Louisiana-Monroe was still known as Northeast Louisiana and played in Division 1-AA, the school won the D-1AA national championship. The team will honor the 30th anniversary of that achievement by wearing 1987-inspired uniforms this season and will bring back the "P-40" military tribute uniforms that were first worn in 2015.

In addition to the tribute uniforms, the P-40s are coming back this year. pic.twitter.com/OXWDsI0fdh — Adam Hunsucker (@Adam_Hunsucker) August 14, 2017

• New Mexico State has added a new all-black design to its uniform mix (additional info here):

The reveal of the new all-black unis for the 2017-18 Aggies!!#AggieUp #MakeAPlay pic.twitter.com/lQvCox8TDs — NM State Football (@NMStateFootball) August 12, 2017

• Texas State has a new gold jersey with reflective letters and numbers:

The Bobcats also have a new set of secondary logos.

Texas State reveals a new secondary mark based on the #TXST acronym pic.twitter.com/GHoEaKzaDi — RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) August 3, 2017

• Troy has removed the "T" logo from the sleeve of its red jersey and replaced it with three stripes:

Troy removing logo from sleeve, using stripes instead. Old version on left, new on rigth (h/t @thomasgleaton). pic.twitter.com/LF2ADvENDQ — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 20, 2017

The Trojans have also updated their red helmet, which has gone from matte to chrome:

Troy adding chrome red helmet to its headwear options. Had matte red last year (h/t @Clintau24). pic.twitter.com/VPyPlXrYY3 — Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) August 21, 2017

In addition, the Trojans used a rather unorthodox method for selecting the uniform combination for their home opener:

What are we wearing in our first home game? Watch and find out 👇#RTW pic.twitter.com/8KRwB9Pc1a — TROY ATHLETICS (@TroyAthletics) July 14, 2017

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Additional notes

• It's a little early to be thinking about the 2018 College Football Playoff, but here's what the patches will look like:

@PhilHecken @UniWatch Here's what the 2018 CFB Playoff patches will look like this season pic.twitter.com/N3DJbgLYIw — Robert Hayes🐧 (@GuitaristRobDog) May 31, 2017

• The new Schutt F7 helmet, whose shell features two distinctive flex panels, has been getting a workout from several schools. Here's a sampling of how it looks with an assortment of FBS logo and striping treatments:

• The NCAA has adopted a series of rules changes, one of which is uni-related: The definition of horse-collar tackles now includes grabbing a player by his nameplate area. (There was also talk of requiring players to wear knee pads this season, but that change has been pushed back to 2018.)

Phew! Did we miss anything? Yeah, probably. If you know of any college football uni updates that weren't covered here (FBS schools only, please), you know what to do. Thanks.

Paul Lukas will have his annual NFL season preview on Sept. 5. If you like this column, you'll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, check out his Uni Watch merchandise, be added to his mailing list so you'll always know when a new column has been posted or just ask him a question? Contact him here.