The Game: Red vs. Blue?

Submitted by JeepinBen on

Something I've often wondered, and it came across my twitter feed today (h/t @Hooverstreet), why don't we play OSU as Red vs. Blue with both teams wearing their home unis?

In the OSU Uniformz thread it often came up that the Home Jersey is the Untouchable, for both us and the OSU guys on the board. While Adidas has tried playing with the away uni piping, and Nike changed things up too, AA Torch and Pitchfork would really go nuts if they tried to do anything to the home blues.

This could add a bit of stabilization. Every year we play the last Saturday of November. Every year it's at noon (most years). And every year it looks like OSU vs. Michigan because we both wear traditional home unis.

That said, the "one team must wear white" rule came about for black-and-white TV, and has since been taken off the books. As I like Michigan's blue home jersey, I'd love to see us wear it more often. We could go color vs. color against OSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Indiana in conference, we could have done it against Bama and should do it against Arkansas. UCLA and USC do this every year, I'd love to see us pick it up. What do you think?

JohnnyV123

November 14th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^

I would love to see it although I do feel my brain would react with "does not compute" if it saw the red vs. blue just after being conditioned to see one team wearing white every year.

All the replays in my head I like to fondly remember have them all happening in the respective jersey matchings.

It would be cool though I just hope neither team ever does "special" uniforms for the game pro Combat style.

Edit: Just saw the thread about OSU's possible jerseys for this year. Well....shit.

Yeoman

November 14th, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^

LOL. I'm old enough to remember life before Bo, if that helps. And I suppose I do have sort of a vintage TV, come to think of it, but rest assured it's color at least.

I was just pointing out that (at least I'm pretty sure) it was the reason for the rule. Road whites were traditional--it avoids the embarrassing situation where both teams show up wearing the same color--but I don't think there was any rule requiring it before the TV age. I've seen pictures of early football where both teams seem to be wearing color.

And I do remember watching a basketball game when I was about 8 or so where Wichita State came out in home yellow and on our TV it was barely even off-white. As far as we could tell both teams were wearing the same uniform. You can sort of tell who's who by how and where they're standing but it was annoying.

CC_MFan

November 14th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^

If I remember correctly, UCLA was penalized a timeout for the uniform infraction and USC ignored one of their timeouts in the first half.  Is that rule still in place?

JeepinBen

November 14th, 2012 at 9:58 AM ^

The first time USC/UCLA brought it back itw as still against the rules. UCLA was penalized a time out and USC took their timeout immediately. That offseason, the rule was adjusted such that if both teams agree to wear their colored jerseys it's fine.

turd ferguson

November 14th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^

I really think it's because they wouldn't sell any additional uniforms.  The reason that high-profile games turn into silly fashion shows is that Nike, Adidas, etc. can sell a few thousands jerseys that they otherwise wouldn't have sold.  If you play red vs. blue without tinkering with the uniform at all, you can't sell something that people haven't already purchased.

blacknblue

November 14th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^

The reason USC and UCLA both started wearing home jerseys for their game is because both teams played their home games at the Rose Bowl. I wouldn't flip out over the idea but it makes sense when USC/UCLA does it. If we did it, it would just be trying to force a tradition.

Darth Wolverine

November 14th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^

I have been clamoring for this ever since the NCAA allowed this rule change. I simply don't understand why M and Ohio don't do it. That being said, I would rather see them do that when the game is played in Ann Arbor.

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

November 14th, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^

Its a good way to differentiate The Game and focus on hard-hitting football instead of stylish colors.

Just have to find a way to ease the resistance by Nike/merchandise/AD folks. Maybe commemorative warmups or sideline jackets or something. Even better if UM and OSU agreed to auction the unis every year for charity (Motts for the AA game, Wexner Center for Columbus game) with a commemorative patch.

As Brandon would say, "It's a special experience."

Ron Utah

November 14th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^

This would be awesome.  I am definitely in favor in of the Red vs. Blue matchup.  And, to quote myself at the beginning of an online Halo match, "Go Blue, Kill Red."

M-Dog

November 14th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^

It's not a novelty.  This is how every Michigan - Ohio State game used to be.  There have been more games played this way than with color vs. white.

It's a for-real throw back.

allintime23

November 14th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^

The game is perfect. I was thinking about how close it's getting last weekend. It's such a cold magical Saturday. Please don't over look Iowa. Then, as always it's on.