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Oregon's “Heroes” threads lead Week 6 of college football uniforms

  • Kalan Hooks, ESPNOctober 4, 2024, 9:32 a.m. ET

Week 6 of the college football season brings another selection of meaningful uniforms that go deeper than the game.

The No. 6-ranked Oregon Ducks host the Michigan State Spartans in a Friday night matchup for the first time since 2018.

In their battle against the Spartans, the Ducks will debut their new “Heroes” jersey, which serves as a nod to head coach Dan Lanning and his wife Sauphia. Designed by Lanning, his wife and their three sons, the uniform tells the story of Sauphia's battle with bone cancer, which she beat in 2017.

Each member of the Lanning family played a specific role in creating the look.

Yellow, the official color for osteosarcoma awareness, on the jersey represents Sauphia's fight against osteosarcoma. Lanning's oldest son, Caden, came up with the idea of ​​putting an ice cream cone on the uniform as a nod to the snacks the Lanning family ate after Sauphia's treatment appointments. Titan, Lanning's youngest son, thought about giving the soccer cleats a multi-colored look to represent the different groups of cancer patients.

Lanning's contribution to the uniform is the molecular design on the gloves and sleeves, which references the Red Devil chemotherapy treatment.

The shoulder wings and diamond plating on the jerseys represent the journey and hope that lies beyond the state.

Assembling the Heroes uniform began in 2022 when Lanning was named the program's head coach.

Here are the best uniform combinations from Week 6 of college football.

Unique looks

The 1989 Virginia Cavaliers cemented one of the best seasons in program history. With an overall record of 10-3, Virginia won the ACC Championship over the Maryland Terrapins 48-21. In the showdown against ACC opponent Boston College Eagles, the Cavaliers will don a throwback jersey honoring the 1989 team.

“El Cucho” is a nickname for the city of El Paso, Texas, and a Mexican-Spanish dialect term derived from the word “pachuco,” which represents unity and, to most, style. The UTEP Miners will wear their orange jerseys over white pants and a special “El Chuco” helmet against the Sam Houston Bearkats.

The Air Force Falcons pay homage to the Special Air Force Special Operations Command with their Air Power Legacy Series uniforms as they compete against the Navy Midshipmen.

The threads contain details that shine a spotlight on the AFSOC mission. The helmet bears the AFSOC emblem and on the back is the motto: “Any place, anytime, anywhere.” The Special Tactics Combat Control motto “First there” is on the front of the helmet.

The jersey includes a nameplate with the players' names on the right chest. On the left sleeve is one of the three American flag insignias, referring to the Air Force's special tactics. The red trim and accents on the uniform and pants symbolize the scarlet beret worn by Special Tactics Combat Controllers.

Solid combinations

The Ohio State Buckeyes, ranked No. 3, have had success, remaining undefeated this season. They'll take on the 3-1 Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 6 in style, with an all-gray combination topped off with red lettering.

The Iowa State Cyclones have unveiled several jerseys over the offseason, one of which is being debuted this week. On Saturday against the Baylor Bears, the undefeated Cyclones will wear a clean, all-white look with black lettering and gray trim.

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