CFN Tournament of Helmets
Stagg Division Results
In this fun time of year when the world revolves around a bracket, we’ve created the inaugural CFN Tournament of Helmets. The CFNers came up with the 68 most interesting choices based on the extremely loose criteria of which ones
we thoughts looked the coolest. We tried to combine the old school traditional hats with a few of the more interesting new designs
- with a few one-hit wonders thrown into the equation – with extra points thrown in for kitsch value.
Below are the first round results helped by you.
When it came down to the tie-breaker, we went by
your votes and the will of the masses. Please give us your votes,
thoughts, comments and choices by e-mail at
2013 CFN Helmet Tournament
or Twitter
@ColFootballNews.
Next Monday will come Round Two.
All the helmets for every college and pro team - and
the helmets and graphics used in our tournament -
can be found at
The Helmet Project, a fantastic site for junkies
who love the history of football like we do. Go in
and you'll find at least 68 helmets you'll probably
like better than our choices. Let the madness begin.
2013 CFN Tournament of Helmet Brackets
-
Robinson Bracket
| Gagliardi Bracket
| Warner Bracket
| Stagg Bracket
PLAY IN - Florida A&M, 2008-current |
vs. |
PLAY IN South Florida, Nov. 19, 2011 |
WINNER: Florida A&M
Fiu: Florida A&M - I'd hate to see the designs that didn't make the cut for
USF's
one-week
tryout.
Rich: Florida A&M - Both helmets are too busy, but South Florida’s looks as if it was designed by the makers of the 1980s video game Snafu
Mitchell: Florida A&M - Less is more...and yes, we're talking to you, USF.
Phil: USF - The glitz and sparkle beats a little too descriptive Florida A&M helmet.
Doan: USF - Black Henna meets ecstasy meets football helmet. That has to be a win.
Hyland: Florida A&M - A&M in unremarkable fashion defeats the single worst helmet I have ever seen.
|
No. 1 USC, 1972-current |
vs. |
No. 16 Tulane, 1981-1982 |
WINNER: USC
Fiu: USC - Nothing says intimidation than a helmet that reminds opponents
that
they're
playing
a city
ten feet
below
sea
level.
It
always
seems
like I'm
somewhere
35
degrees
and
raining
when I'm
watching
the USC
helmets
on TV in
the L.A.
sun.
Rich: USC - Tommy Trojan vs. a tidal wave. No contest.
Mitchell: USC - The Trojans clearly had this one lined up, but it didn't hurt that the Tulane Green Wave seems to be swallowing up...Tulane??? Whose brainchild was that?
Phil: USC - It's a literal wave on Tulane's helmet. There is no further argument needed. The iconic Trojan helmet wins in a route.
Doan: Tulane - C'mon. I'd always wondered why Tulane didn't play up the Wave more often. Now I know. They did, and it was great.
Hyland: Tulane - Green Wave pulls historic upset and thankful not to have faced USC's block-lettered Cheerleaders' sweaters.
|
No. 8 Wyoming Nov. 19, 2011 |
vs. |
No. 9 Arizona State, 1980-1984 |
WINNER: Wyoming
Fiu: Wyoming - This went into overtime. It's hard to make brown and yellow
work, but Wyoming manages to do it.
Rich: Wyoming - Because brown is an underutilized color for helmets, an homage to the day when leather hats were the norm.
Mitchell: ASU - My second round "Upset Alert!" - the old school Sparky could be a spoiler.
Phil: ASU - Wyoming gets DQ'd on inappropriate use of a color-scheme. ASU wins by default.
Doan: Wyoming - If it's brown, flush it down. Unless it's with yellow. Then it is a total win.
Hyland: Wyoming - Subtle Marlboro marketing wins the day for Cowboys over cartoon Devil.
|
No. 5 Ohio State, 1968-current |
vs. |
No. 12 Iowa, 1971 |
WINNER: Ohio State
Fiu: OSU - If you have to ask if it's Iowa or Southern Miss, you know the
answer.
Rich: OSU - Tradition-rich helmet that hasn’t needed to be altered in more than four decades.
Mitchell: OSU - Timeless.
Phil: Iowa - The late-season OSU helmet would have donned Buckeye leaves and been more competitive against a falcon-Hawkeye thingy.
Doan: OSU - I feel like I've seen the Iowa helmet here too many times. OSU's I've not.
Hyland: OSU - Eye to eye, the Bucks squeak this one out over the Hawks.
|
No. 4 Notre Dame, 1964-current |
vs. |
No. 13 UTEP, 1987 |
WINNER: Notre Dame
Fiu: UTEP - I know, it's the Golden Dome and the helmets look like it, and
with nothing on them, you can still tell
whose helmets they are, but I like the
Miner.
Rich: ND - UTEP is the Miners. Notre Dame actually adds a precious metal to its helmet. Interesting.
Mitchell: ND - This was a lot harder than I expected; you simply have to love the retro miner. But at day's end, you're just not beating the ND tradition.
Phil: ND - Somebody actually made the decision to pass THAT UTEP helmet through the design phase.
Doan: ND - There's something nostalgic about the all gold ND lid that not even a bearded man carrying a pick can best. Which is tough.
Hyland: ND - Irish chafed by seeding take out frustrations on the Miners.
|
No. 6 Arizona, 1973 |
vs. |
No. 11 San Diego State, 2004-2005 |
WINNER: San Diego State
Fiu: Arizona - I'm not sure if it's a design for some sort of 1970's
ergonomic chair or a recreation of the loch
ness monster, but I'm intimidated either
way.
Rich: SDSU - Aztecs are major sleepers in this tournament, with a great color scheme and symbol.
Mitchell: SDSU - Is that an Arizona rattlesnake? Whatever. This is a slam dunk 11 over 6.
Phil: SDSU - C'mon, the Aztec helmet has a sphere and blended paint. It's what the cool kids wear.
Hyland: Arizona - So Cal transplants on peyote in Tucson deliver winning logo in this taffy pull.
|
No. 3 San Jose State, 2012-current |
vs. |
No. 14 Idaho, 2012 |
WINNER: Idaho
Fiu: SJSU - Best color scheme in college football, and it's not even close. Put
on the Idaho helmet and you instantly feel
the need to give up 250 rushing yards.
Rich: Idaho - Hard to go wrong with a black helmet. Plus, it has a slimming effect on the Vandals linemen.
Mitchell: Idaho - Another upset. How can you not go for the black hat "Vandals"? Somewhere Johnny Cash is smiling.
Phil: Idaho - The San Jose State helmet is more outdated than a 70's kitchen theme, whereas all black is equivalent to stainless steel.
Doan: Idaho - Upset? I don't know, but the black on black with gold logo trim is the Kristen Bell of combinations.
Hyland: SJSU - San Jose State also wondering how Vandals can have such a great nickname and so little follow through on the hat.
|
No. 7 Florida, 1964-1965 |
vs. |
No. 10 Navy, 1964 |
WINNER: Florida
Fiu: Florida - 1960's Florida helmet just screams dehydrated players in need
of some newfangled sugary sports drink
creation.
Rich: Florida - It’s never wise to put a goat on a helmet, especially a poorly-drawn rendition of the team mascot.
Mitchell: Florida - This is a shallow victory for Florida. Neither the Midshipmen nor the Gators were going to advance past Hawaii.
Phil: Florida - With all due respect to our nation's finest, it's hard to vote for a helmet that has a ULA (Unidentified Leaping Animal) on it.
Doan: Florida - I'm told orange and blue is not fashionable, that they clash. I've never been considered on the cutting edge of Project Runway
Hyland: Florida - SEC too much for the service academies.
|
No. 2 Hawaii, 1977-1981 |
vs. |
No. 15 Mississippi State, 1969-1971 |
WINNER: Hawaii
Fiu: Hawaii - The rest of the field needs to be really, really worried. This
is well before the football program failed
to get the Not That There's Anything Wrong
With It memo about being called the Rainbow
Warriors.
Rich: Hawaii - Warriors score points for whimsy. Both Hanna and Barbera would be proud.
Mitchell: Hawaii - On a bullet.
Phil: Hawaii - Look! A Polynesian warrior wrapped in a prism of light known as a rainbow. Case closed.
Doan: Hawaii - Dude, it's a guy wearing a cape flying out of a rainbow. Frank Costanza's lawyer even thinks this is impressive.
Hyland: Hawaii - Rainbow Warriors in a runaway.
|
2013 CFN Tournament of Helmet Brackets
-
Robinson Bracket
| Gagliardi Bracket
| Warner Bracket
| Stagg Bracket