STILLWATER – Next generation football uniforms from Nike are coming to Oklahoma State in 2023.

 

The Look

Combining the past, present and future of Oklahoma State football, the new base look for the Cowboys includes an unmistakable nod to the OSU teams of the 1980s, with “Oklahoma State” written atop bold jersey numbers on the front of the jersey and the familiar 1980s-era striping on the arms.

 

While the general look resembles that of the past, it has been modernized to reflect OSU’s current marks and brand standards.

 

The modern version of the jerseys come in orange, black and white, with solid-color pants coming in the same three colors to maximize versatility. Having multiple options to choose from on a week-to-week basis remains true to Oklahoma State’s more modern pattern of gameday uniform variety.

 

Additional details on the jersey:

  1. For the first time since 2005, OSU’s jerseys include numbers on the shoulders.
  2. The orange jersey features white numbers trimmed in black.
  3. The black jersey features white numbers trimmed in orange.
  4. There are two versions of the white jersey – one with orange numbers trimmed in black and one with black numbers trimmed in orange.
  5. The stripe pattern on the arms was worn by each of the three current members of the Cowboy Football Ring of Honor – Bob Fenimore, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.

 

 

The Advantage

Oklahoma State is one of only a small group of schools wearing uniforms made using Nike FUSE technology in 2023. FUSE (Field Utility Special Edition) uniforms combine research-backed innovation with a precision fit to help allow ultimate performance on the field. Among other features, they are lightweight and provide thermal regulation using Nike Dri-FIT technology.

 

 

The Story

There is great sentiment among Oklahoma State people toward Cowboy Football in the 1980s, as the Pokes treated their fans to stifling defense, spectacular offense and explosive special teams.

 

In the front half of the decade, Oklahoma State was led by one of the most feared defenses in college football. The pendulum swung toward offense in the latter half of the decade, highlighted by a 1987 team that included Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders and a 1988 team that not only produced the greatest Heisman Trophy winning season of all time from Sanders, but also included the Big Eight’s career passing and total offense leader in Mike Gundy and the Big Eight’s career receiving leader in Hart Lee Dykes.

 

To positive reviews, Oklahoma State has worn throwback versions of the uniforms from the late 1980s for special occasions in recent years. The Cowboys’ debuted orange throwback jerseys for a game against Texas in 2018 to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of Sanders winning the Heisman Trophy. Two years later, OSU wore white throwback uniforms against West Virginia to commemorate Thurman Thomas’s induction into the Cowboy Football Ring of Honor.

 

The 2023 season marks a commitment to that as the Cowboys’ base look, with the notable update to OSU’s current marks and brand standards.

 

 

The Evolution

The move to the new uniforms represents a departure from the previous base look that was worn by Oklahoma State from 2016-22 – a timespan that included seven winning seasons, OSU’s first appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game, a win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, the 2017 Biletnikoff Award from James Washington, the 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award from Mason Rudolph, 10 All-Americans and much more.

 

While the program enjoyed sustained success on the field from 2016-22, the uniforms from that era did not include the words “Oklahoma State” or “Cowboys” in a plainly visible location and featured outdated branding and marks. The updated look is unapologetically Oklahoma State – straightforward, bold and strong.

 

 

The Future

The upgraded uniform reflects Oklahoma State’s latest visible commitment to staying ahead of the competition during a time when college football as a whole undergoes significant structural updating.

 

Those who wear OSU’s new uniform will do so in a new version of the Big 12 Conference and in a new national landscape. They will author the next chapter of Oklahoma State football in a freshly-energized Stillwater that includes a refurbished Boone Pickens Stadium, a brand new state-of-the-art football operations center and more.

 

The next generation is here.