The Bulldogs first started wearing gold in the Egg Bowl in 2011. They beat a 2-10 Ole Miss team soundly in those, and tried it again on the road in 2012. That year it didn't work out so well, but they tried it again in 2013, and for the second time at home, the Bulldogs pulled out a win. At this point, the trend was clear: it looks good when you win (at home) and bad when you lose (on the road, generally.) In 2014, the Bulldogs entered the Egg Bowl 10-1 and #4 in the country. The DWS 100 road unis were worn in the Orange Bowl, and the solid ribbon-stripe road unis had been being worn all year. Yet again, however, the Bulldogs went all out with the gold and got beat on the road. The gold always looks bad in a loss.
This year, no one would've blamed them for wearing the gold again. State's still never lost in gold at home. That being said, not many are complaining. It was cool for a couple of years, but eventually it just looks silly. If anything, and this is definitely the case, the gold was removed a year too late.
Back before the gold was worn, the Bulldogs still weren't consistent with Egg Bowl uni combos. In 2010, they wore all white (with maroon helmets) and in 2009 they went mono-maroon. From 2002-2008, they wore white helmets. It might surprise people to know that State has actually white helmets more than any other color in Egg Bowls this century. This trend is renewed this year, as the Bulldogs will wear the white helmet first debuted earlier this month at Missouri. Pairing the white helmet with the maroon jersey and white pants, the Bulldogs will still debut a record-breaking 10th combo of the year in the Egg Bowl.
This year's white-maroon-white look will most resemble the 2003 and 2005 Egg Bowls look, in which the Bulldogs wore white helmets, maroon jerseys, and white pants. In 2005, the helmets had the Croom-Era M-State on the side and the uniforms were Russell-made. In 2003, the helmets had numbers on the side, but the jerseys were more similar to those worn today, with the Nike sleeve stripes.
Other combinations worn by the Bulldogs in Egg Bowls this century include white-white-maroon in 2008 and 2006, white-maroon-maroon in 2007, all white in 2002 and 2004 (completely different designs those two years), traditional maroon-maroon-white in 2001 (the only time this century that traditional combo has been worn in the Egg Bowl), and maroon-white-maroon in 2000. In regard to helmet colors, the W-L records for the Bulldogs with different helmet colors in Egg Bowls this century are: 4-3 in Maroon, 2-5 in White, and 1-0 in Gold.
If one were to believe in superstition surrounding uniforms, he or she could have predicted tonight's outcome. With tonight's loss, the Bulldogs fell to 2-6 in Egg Bowls in white helmets this century. The last time the Bulldogs lost a home Egg Bowl (2003) was, coincidence?, also the last one in which State wore alternate white helmets. Sure, they wore white helmets in home wins in 2005 and 2007, but they were the primary helmet under Croom. The last time white helmets were worn under him, by the way- a 45-0 loss at Ole Miss. History was, and is not, on the side of alternate white helmets in the Egg Bowl. Alas, the alternate white uniform curse lives on. Of course, the Missouri game this year could be considered an exception, but Missouri was terrible this year.
Finally, the question begs, will gold return in the Egg Bowl sometime in the future? I'd say the most likely time for its return would be 2017. I certainly hope that it doesn't return next year- I've already expressed why I don't like it on the road. Besides, next year's Egg Bowl has the potential for a GOAT uniform matchup, if State wears matte-white-gray and Ole Miss wears powder-red-gray. That would easily be the greatest uni matchup in Egg Bowl history- even better if State were to steal a road egg. As for 2017, that's a long time from now. It's certainty possible- especially given the stat that State is undefeated in gold at home.
White Helmet
Maroon Jersey
White Pants
Game Photos:
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