Houston unveils Oilers-inspired uniforms for UTSA opener

A new era reigns at TDECU Stadium on Saturday night.

After nearly a two-year wait, the Houston Cougars finally play their first game under Big 12 membership status in a highly-anticipated rematch of last year’s opener against UTSA.

Houston replaces the American Athletic Conference logo in exchange for a Big 12 one on the uniforms, but the general aesthetic the Cougars have in store Saturday has never been worn by the program before. Rather than launching the new era in its signature red and white, Houston opted to go “with an old school look,” the phrase head coach Dana Holgorsen used in a teaser video released Wednesday.

That old school look was finally unveiled Thursday morning. Houston will break out a powder blue jersey, complemented by white numbers adorned with a red trimming. The look resembles that of the Houston Oilers, who spent 37 years in the city before relocating to Tennessee in 1997. The Oilers throwbacks were recently in the news, as the Tennessee Titans elected to add them to their rotation for the 2023 NFL season.

Along with the powder blue jersey, Houston will wear a tri-stripe helmet featuring a script powder blue “Houston” on either side. This script font has become frequently implemented into the uniforms lately, and the Cougars sported script helmets five times during the past two seasons, including in the 2021 Birmingham Bowl victory over Auburn.

Below are additional photos of the Houston Cougars’ look for Saturday’s UTSA game, as presented in the video reveal.

Courtesy: Houston Athletics | @UHCougarFB

Courtesy: Houston Athletics | @UHCougarFB

Repping the powder blues under the lights, the Cougars’ first game since moving to the Big 12 will transpire Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT at TDECU Stadium, available for viewership on FS1.