History of the Uniform: Michigan and Georgia

Anyone inside Michigan Stadium on Oct. 2, 1965, was able to see two of college football’s most iconic, classic uniforms together on the field for the first time ever—though they probably didn’t know it at the time.

Michigan’s winged helmet had already established itself as a symbol of college football, but in 1965, Georgia was only in its second year with an oval G on a red helmet. In the half-century since, both teams’ uniforms have held close to the way they looked on that Saturday in Ann Arbor, and the success both programs have enjoyed over that span has cemented those uniforms in the minds of college football fans.

The winged helmet and the oval G would clash that day and then never again… until this New Year’s Eve. As we head into this long-awaited rematch, let’s look back at the people and decisions that defined the looks of the 1965 Bulldogs and Wolverines and how those looks have (and have not) changed since.

The Maize and Blue

Georgia plays MichiganThe Michigan Wolverines’ colors of maize and blue date back to the late 1860s, when a committee of Michigan students chose “azure blue and maize” as the university’s colors. This color combination may have appeared in some form or fashion on the Michigan football team’s jerseys from the 1890s up through the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until the team adopted their winged helmet in the 1930s that the two stood side-by-side in stark contrast and created a visual identity that would stand the test of time.

Fritz Crisler arrived in Ann Arbor in 1938 as Michigan’s new head football coach. Before leading the Wolverines, he coached at Princeton, where, in 1935, he had ordered leather helmets with a “wing” panel across the top-front of the helmet. In an effort to help his quarterbacks find their receivers downfield, Crisler had the wing panel painted a different color from the rest of the helmet, creating a stark contrast easier to spot amid the chaos of a football game.

So, in 1938, Crisler brought his helmet innovation to Ann Arbor, and on October 1, 1938, the maize-and-blue winged helmet took the field for the first time against Michigan State.

Crisler’s career as Michigan’s head football coach would run nine years, accumulating a 116-32-9 record, two conference titles and a national championship, but his most lasting contribution to Michigan football (and the University of Michigan’s identity, perhaps) lies in the wing design that has lasted 83 years and counting.

The Red and Black

Vince Dooley might have gone to Auburn, but he knew what Georgia’s colors were: red and black. So, when the young coach arrived in Athens in 1964, he was confused at the amount of silver the Dawgs wore on game day: They had red jerseys, but their helmets and pants were silver.

Dooley wanted to put his stamp on a program that had been through some tough years following the departure of long-time coach Wally Butts. With months to go before a single snap of football was played, Dooley decided to start by establishing a consistent visual identity.

First out were the silver britches in favor of red or white pants with a stripe down the outside of the leg—although the silver britches would return in 1980.  Next, it was time for a new helmet. Dooley knew he wanted red, and while UGA had begun sporting helmets with a square G in ’62, the logo’s use was sporadic, so Dooley figured it was time to lock in a new logo.

John Donaldson (BSED ’52) was a coach on Dooley’s first staff, and he volunteered his wife, Ann (BFA ’55), who studied commercial art at Georgia, to create the new logo. What she developed was accepted immediately by Dooley, and it has come to be known as the “oval G,” “Power G,” or “Super G.”

The logo has often been compared to the Green Bay Packers’ signature mark—developed three years prior to Georgia’s ‘G’—and Dooley was aware of the similarity. He reached out to the Packers organization and cleared the use of the Bulldogs’ new logo. Interestingly, as time has passed, the Packers have subtly adjusted their own logo to a form that more closely resembles UGA’s oval G.

With his new helmets and new pants, Dooley had made his first mark (of many) on the program. The Dawgs went 7-3-1 in their first season wearing Dooley’s duds, and they opened 1965 with two wins before heading up to Michigan.

Since the Bulldogs’ 1965 victory over the Wolverines, both teams have indulged in the occasional wardrobe variation—like Michigan’s 2017 all-Maize unis and Georgia’s 2007 Blackout jerseys—but their standard outfits have remained largely consistent over the last 56 years.

The helmets might be fancier, the numbers might be sharper and the players might be a whole lot bigger, but the Dawgs and Wolverines of 2021 still look an awful lot like their 1965 counterparts.

Michigan uniforms in 1965 and 1921

UGA uniforms in 1965 and 2021

All black-and-white photos owned by Regents of the University of Michigan and licensed under CC BY 4.0

Heading to the Orange Bowl?

If you are traveling to South Florida for the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, you might be interested in activities to fill your time (and your stomach) in the days leading up to the game. We connected with Akil A. Kalathil (BS ’14), a graduate student at the Miller School of Medicine (Dhar Lab) at the University of Miami to gather a few tips for Bulldog fans of all ages.

Activities

Bars/Restaurants

Miami Beach

Wynwood

Brickell / Downtown

Former Bulldog representing red and black at Orange Bowl

This story was written by Heather Skyler and originally ran on UGA Today on December 21, 2021.

Anne Noland (ABJ ’15) works as senior director of football communications for the Miami Dolphins, but when she enters her workplace–Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida–on Dec. 31, it will be as a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Noland graduated from UGA in 2015 with a degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and has already risen to the top of her field, becoming the third woman in the National Football League to lead a public relations department.

At Noland’s small private high school in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, students were required to be involved in sports or after school activities year-round, and since she didn’t have a fall sport (she ran track in the spring) her mother encouraged her to ask the football coach about helping with the team.

The coach said he needed someone to keep stats and Noland was in. “He handed me a pencil and pad and said to bring my own calculator,” she recalled. “There were computers available then, but that’s how we did it at the time. I crunched the numbers myself, then every Friday night I’d call the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and provide them with the final score and any other stats they wanted.”

She already knew quite a bit about the game from watching the Bulldogs with her family and learning more about football’s intricacies and plays from her father, but in her position keeping stats, she really fell in love with the whole environment. “I was a ballet dancer and I dabbled in other sports,” she said, “but I was never really a team sports player and that was my first experience of it.”

During Noland’s junior year, her father died of cancer, and although she didn’t tell any of the players about it, the entire football team along with their families showed up at the funeral to support her. “That’s the moment I knew that, moving forward, I always wanted to be part of a team,” she said.

NFL and UGA connections

Since graduating from UGA, Noland’s job has overlapped a few times with her alma mater. Prior to her position with the Dolphins, Noland worked for the Patriots when the team included former UGA players Malcolm Mitchell (AB ’15), David Andrews (M ’15), Isaiah Wynn (BSFCS ’18) and Sony Michel (M ’18), among others.

“To work with them at the NFL level and win a Super Bowl with those guys was really cool,” she said.

In February 2019, while working for the Patriots during Superbowl LIII in Atlanta, students from Grady were in attendance and Noland got to talk to them about her job.

Despite still being fairly new to the world of professional football, Noland has already faced her share of challenges, including the effects of COVID-19 on professional sports and the changing news cycle, which has evolved into a 24-hour, non-stop cycle in recent years due to the evolution of social media, in particular.

“Before, when someone was going to break a story, they would call you first to let you know and get more context, etc. Now because of Twitter, one source can give someone information and they just go with it.”

But she loves her job and tries not to ever forget the excitement and awe she experienced in her early years working with the Dawgs and Grady at UGA.

“Earlier this season I received a Facebook memory from 10 years ago on that day. It was a photo of my first UGA football game credential from the press box. I remember how excited I was about that. And now that’s second nature,” she said.

Noland chose UGA, in part, because it has elite athletic and academic programs, and she said she learned so much from so many but recalled Senior Associate Athletic Director of Sports Communications Claude Felton (ABJ ’70, MA ’71) in particular. “He was pivotal to my life and career and taught me so much. The more I work in this business, the more amazed I am by how he treats everyone. He’s never too busy for anyone.”

“Athens and UGA are special places,” she added. “I think it’s a community of people who love the university and are proud to be there. When you have that kind of a shared pride it creates a very special environment.”

The Jerry Tanner Show – Orange Bowl: Michigan

Michigan beat Georgia in ’57, UGA evened the score in ’65, and 56 years later, we have the rubber match. Oh, and the winner goes to the natty. NBD.

Show off your Bulldog spirit and your hometown pride with a UGA state decal! Represent the Dawgs and your state of choice (or D.C.) on your car, laptop, water bottle, or whatever. Plus, each decal purchase includes a $5 donation to support UGA students. Get yours today at alumni.uga.edu/statedecals.

Jerry Tanner is everyone you’ve ever met at a UGA tailgate, everyone who’s ever talked about Georgia football by your cubicle, and every message board poster who claims to have a cousin who cut Vince Dooley’s grass. He’s a UGA alumnus, he’s a college football fanatic with a Twitter addiction, and he’s definitely a real person and not a character played by Clarke Schwabe.

Dawg-gone good gifts: Biolyte

For the health-conscious people in your life—or the ones who struggle to kick those holiday hangovers—fuel their fun with Biolyte, the IV in a bottle. 

Biolyte’s electrolytes match that of a 500mL IV, plus additional vitamins and minerals. It was formulated by Dr. Luther “Trey” Rollins, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain specialist in Atlanta, GA. One bottle of Biolyte offers the fuel of 6.5 sports drinks to fight dehydration, fatigue, stomach illness, cramps or overindulgence.  

CEO and UGA alumna Jesslyn Rollins (BA ’15) partnered with Dr. Rollins, her father, to bring his product to the masses. After selling Biolyte out of the back of her car, she advanced to director of sales, chief sales and marketing officer and then CEO. Under her guidance, Biolyte has grown into a multimillion-dollar business. It’s no surprise that the 2022 Bulldog 100 recognized Biolyte as one of the fastest-growing organizations owned or operated by UGA Alumni.

Biolyte offers three flavors—berry, citrus and tropical—to help your friends and family quench their thirst, snap out of a funk or reenergize.  

You can purchase Biolyte at select retail locations or on Amazon 


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift.     

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?

Dawg-gone good gifts: Svaha

For the genius in your life who wants to share their passion with everyone they meet, give a gift from Svaha.

Svaha USA is a one-stop-shop online retailer specializing in STEAM-themed apparel. 

Svaha’s mission is to shatter the gender stereotypes in the apparel industry and encourage STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education for both girls and boys, and women and men. Svaha carries clothing for adults and children as well as a variety of accessories. 

Jaya Iyer (MS ’03) is an expert in the fashion industry. She teaches fashion buying and authored a widely-used textbook on fashion in emerging markets. When she couldn’t find space-themed clothing for her astronaut-aspiring daughter in 2015, she discovered an unmet need in the fashion industry. Svaha was born. The 2021 Bulldog 100 recognized Svaha as one of the fastest-growing organizations owned or operated by UGA alumni. 

For gifts that are out of this world, explore Svaha’s gift boxes, curated by topic. Svaha also offers matching family sets and puzzles celebrating biodiversity and women’s impact on history.   

Svaha’s curated marine biology box

You can find all that Svaha has to offer and shop by interest on Svaha’s online store.  


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift.     

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?

Dawg-gone good gifts: Onward Reserve

For the people on your gift list who love the outdoors, college football and the South, look to one of Athens’ own: Onward Reserve. 

Onward Reserve is a specialty men’s apparel and lifestyle brand headquartered in Atlanta. The Onward Reserve experience mixes laid-back southern hospitality with a world-class retail atmosphere. Collections include men’s classic clothing, watches, shoes, sportswear and accessories. 

UGA alumni TJ Callaway (BBA’07) established Onward Reserve with the motto, “Live authentically.” During a hunting trip in Onward, Mississippi, Callaway crafted a vision for a brand that is laid-back, unwavering in quality and supportive of authentic experiences. Each season, Callaway carefully selects the collection of other brands with that vision in mind. The 2019 Bulldog 100 recognized Onward Reserve as one of the fastest-growing organizations owned or operated by UGA alumni. 

For the Dawg fan, give the gift of Red and Black with a Bulldog-printed polo ($115), a UGA needlepoint flask ($65) or a “Run the Damn Ball” hat ($34.95). For the outdoorsman, equip adventure with a new cooler or a pair of shades. For the well-dressed, browse the Thomasville collection.  

Give a fellow Bulldog some red and black with a UGA needlepoint flask from Onward Reserve ($65).

To explore Onward Reserve, you can shop online or visit one of Onward Reserve’s 12 locations throughout Georgia and the South.  


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift.     

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?

Dawg-gone good gifts: SculptHouse

For the people on your gift list who live in athleisure attire, check out SculptHouse. 

SculptHouse is a fitness studio, activewear and lifestyle boutique with physical locations in Atlanta and Dallas and a robust online presence. It focuses on helping clients lead healthy, happy and confident lives through fitness and fashion. 

Founder and CEO Katherine Mason’s (ABJ ’12) built SculptHouse from her experience in New York City’s fitness industry. Mason launched SculptHouse to fill a void for effective, efficient workouts while also offering an extensive activewear line. SculptHouse Buckhead, its first location, opened in 2016, and a Dallas, Texas, location followed in 2019. This year’s 2022 Bulldog 100 recognizes SculptHouse as one of the fastest-growing organizations owned or operated by UGA alumni. 

SculptHouse sells everything you can think of when it comes to activewear: crop topsleggingslounge sets and more. SculptHouse also partners with Esseutesse to sell fringed-out, fun sneakers that ensure you’re putting your best foot forward.  

SculptHouse partners with Esseutesse to sell fringed-out, fun sneakers that ensure you’re putting your best foot forward.

 Browse SculptHouse gifts through the online store, or purchase a boutique gift card if you just can’t decide what to give. 


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift.     

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?

Dawg-gone good gifts: Sock Fancy

For the person on your gift list who embraces style from head to toe, check out Sock Fancy. 

Whether you’re dressed for fashion, function or fitness, Sock Fancy covers it all. The company also offers beanies and face masks. Sock Fancy, based in Atlanta, has been featured by Esquire, FQ, RollingStone, Vogue and more.   

Stefan Lewsinger (AB ’11) co-founded Sock Fancy to change the way people talk about socks. Sock Fancy earned the title of “most subscribable” at the 2019 Bulldog 100 because of its unique sock subscription service delivering new socks to customers every month.  

 Between the Sock Fancy beanie ($18)brightly-designed crew socks ($14-54) or emoji-embroidered performance socks ($54), Sock Fancy has colors and patterns for everyone on your list.   

Want to give a gift that keeps on giving? Purchase a subscription that delivers fresh socks with fresh designs every month.  

Explore all that Sock Fancy has to offer on the online store.  


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift.     

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?

Dawg-gone good gifts: Baylee Bakes

For the people on your gift list who can’t get enough of the Great British Baking Show, fulfill their sweetest dreams with custom-decorated sugar cookies from Baylee Bakes. 

Baylee Bakes’ founder and operator Baylee Marsh (BA ’20) never planned to own a cookie business. While studying advertising at UGA, a casual Instagram account featuring her cookies and a series of accidental cookie orders led Marsh to the UGA Entrepreneurship Program’s 2019 Summer Launch Program, where she won $5,000 in funding. Marsh hasn’t stopped baking since.  

Baylee Bakes offers holiday-inspired boxes of various sizes ($10-20). For the Dawg who bleeds red and black, gift a UGA Football half dozen box ($20). For the person on your list who wants to earn their treat, purchase a Christmas Cookie Decorating Kit ($18) or a Custom Paint Your Own Cookie set ($5) 

Give the gift of red and black with UGA-themed cookies from Baylee Bakes.

Looking for a holiday party idea? Book a private class with Baylee Bakes.  

To order custom cookies from Baylee Bakes, explore the website and submit a customer order request form. Once your order and timeline are confirmed, you can work out cookies designs and pricing. Then, pick up or receive your delivery order so you can share holiday cheer in the sweetest way possible. 


The holidays have arrived! As you finish up your holiday shopping, we’re featuring UGA alumni-owned businesses that we can’t stop barking about. Give uniquely and support a Bulldog this holiday season with a Dawg-gone good gift. 

Want more Dawg-gone good gift ideas?