Notre Dame Football: The 2023 Fighting Irish Schedule by the Uniforms

The classic Notre Dame Fighting Irish football uniform never goes out of style. In a trend landscape of matte helmets and blinding neon, the gold lid/navy jersey combo serves as a comforting constant. While the Irish look is timeless, it’s always fun to pick apart other teams’ unis, give props to some and put others on blast. Let’s break down the 2023 schedule by the uniforms.

Navy Midshipmen

This one has grown on me. My fondness for Notre Dame’s classic gold and blue uniform may have an influence on my take here, but I now give the Naval Academy’s uni my seal of approval after initially finding it a bit too minimalist. The thin stripes at the shoulders make a subtle statement and I’m here for it. It’s clear they know the importance of going easy on gold.

Tennessee State Tigers

Can’t go wrong with the proportion of red, white and blue in the jersey and pants, here. However, the script at the chest is a little too toned down.

NC State Wolfpack

I love the shoulder detail on this one. Bold when compared to the more muted script and numbers to strike a solid balance.

Central Michigan Chippewas

Time for some #MACtion. As a Kent State graduate, I admit I love to hype up a MAC team. I have to respect a squad in maroon and gold; my high school used this combo. The Chippewas’ unis have everything you need and nothing you don’t. The gold face mask adds a pop of color and some balance while the uniform remains minimalist. Losing the white around the numbers and letters would clean it up even more.

Ohio State Buckeyes

I have a soft spot for the Buckeye helmet stickers. However, tOSU’s gray has never done it for me. Some colors look better on a computer screen or paper than on a jersey. Gray is one of them. While the neutral is a bit dull in this case, the sting of the scarlet and the classic Buckeye stickers combine for a timeless look.

Duke Blue Devils

Photo by Charles Brock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Clean. No notes.

Louisville Cardinals

Classic helmet logo. Respectable minimalism. The script at the chest adds a little personality, but not much. A brighter shade of red would add more power to this fit.

USC Trojans

Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Rivalries aside, USC’s look is classic and clean. Sharp colors, minimal shoulder detail. It all adds up to an elite look. The Trojans’ gold adds a nice jolt without blinding. That’s the tweet.

Pittsburgh Panthers

Pitt has gone through a few shifts to its gold and blue. The current combo gives off definite Madonna blue vibes and a little bit of UCLA energy, and I approve.

Clemson Tigers

Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Clemson’s bright and bold combo is an unlikely favorite of mine. Orange? Easy to overdo. Purple? Same. Orange and purple? The combination exudes a distinct personality without going overboard. The orange and white jersey and pants with a slight shot of purple on the helmet and around the numbers turns up the brightness in style. Perfectly proportioned.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

I’ve addressed my issues with gold on this blog before. Looking at you, Washington Wizards. You add gold to convey something exclusive and unattainable, when you go too bold with the gold whether in shade or amount, you lose all of that. The proportion is perfect on the jersey and pants. The gold numbers and trim at the neck pack a punch and the black balances it out. Wake Forest loses me with the helmet. The gold on the jersey and pants just doesn’t complement that on the helmet.

Stanford Cardinal

Photo by David Madison/Getty Images

I love a minimalist look, but Stanford’s uniform is underwhelming despite a crisp color combo. Stanford’s cardinal and white offer an understated look and versatile fan gear possibilities, but not much more.

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