Big Sky Conference
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| EASTERN WASHINGTON |
IDAHO STATE |
MONTANA |
| "Eagles" |
"Bengals" |
"Grizzlies" |
| Cheney, WA |
Pocatello, ID |
Missoula, MT |
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| MONTANA STATE |
NORTHERN ARIZONA |
NORTHERN COLORADO |
| "Bobcats" |
"Lumberjacks" |
"Bears" |
| Bozeman, MT |
Flagstaff, AZ |
Greeley, CO |
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| PORTLAND STATE |
SACRAMENTO STATE |
WEBER STATE |
| "Vikings" |
"Hornets" |
"Wildcats" |
| Portland, OR |
Sacramento, CA |
Ogden, UT |
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Comments
Portland State had a new helmet design for the 2007 season. I cannot do justice to the new design with the "vantage point" I use for the drawings at this web site, so I would recommend looking at the photographs at the team's web site in order to appreciate the unusual nature of the new helmet logo, which is a "spear" - with what might be called a "cracked tile" texture - running over the top of the helmet.
Sacramento State and Idaho State were also using new designs in 2007 (shown above).
Historical Helmets
EASTERN WASHINGTON
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| c.early 1990s |
? - 1999 |
2000 - |
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These are the only historical helmet designs for EWU about which I have received any information so far. The team has existed for many decades and probably has a large number of other historical helmet designs.
IDAHO STATE
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| 1963 |
1964 - 1965 |
1965 |
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*see note 1 below |
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| 1970 - 1976 |
1977 - 1982 |
1983 - 1986 |
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| 1987 - 1990 |
1991 |
1992 - 1996 |
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Thanks to Frank M. at ISU for information on these helmets; this is thought to be a complete set of historical helmets for this team for the period covered by this web site (1960 to present).
*1 Numerals were added to the helmets for just the last two games of the 1965 season.
MONTANA
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| 1983 - c.1985 |
c.1986 - 1987 |
1988 - 1995 |
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| 1996 - |
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The University of Montana's official colors have long been silver, copper, and gold (in recognition of the state's mining industry), but a set of "spirit colors" which are used by the school's athletic teams was adopted in about 1996; these are maroon, silver, and gold. The unusual colors used on the older helmets make it essential that I get some color photographs before I can add any of these earlier helmets to the site.
I have partial information about some of these earlier helmet designs:
1980 - 1982: the interlocking "UM" logo shown on the 1983- 1987 helmets above was also used during these years, but only on the right sides of the helmets; the left side featured a simple profile view of a walking bear with the word "MONTANA" in very small letters beneath it. I have been told that the various decals were maroon or copper in color, and that the helmet shell was yellow;
1977 - 1979: the helmets were a plain, light solid color with no stripes or decals;
1970 - 1976: the interesting design shown in the photograph below was used; the bear decal and two stripes appear to be silver. I would be reluctant to make a guess about the helmet shell color from this single photograph; it looks more orange than anything, but I think it is more likely that the actual color is a rather dark yellowish-orange somewhat like what Arizona State has used for many years, or perhaps even a copper color. I would appreciate some other pictures from these years, and a copy of the bear logo used on this design;
1969: some version of the "100" decal was used.
1962: players' uniform numerals were worn on the helmets.
Thanks to Kelly K. for most of this information, and for the photograph shown above.
MONTANA STATE
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| ? - 1961 |
1962 - 1968; 1970;
1976 - 1981? |
1982 - 1983 |
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| 1984 - 1990 |
1991 - 1996;
September 23, 2006 |
1997 - 1999 |
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| 2000 - |
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From 1971 through 1975, the design shown in the photograph below was used. The helmet shells were gold, and the demonic-looking "bobcat head" decal worn on the sides of the helmets was blue, white, and red, with a yellow outline around it. I would greatly appreciate a copy of this logo from someone.
NORTHERN ARIZONA
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| ? - 1998 |
1999 - 2004 |
2005 - |
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The only other NAU historical helmet design that I know anything about dates from the early 1980s; it featured a blue helmet shell with the letters "NAU" in yellow or gold on the sides; the letters were connected to each other.
As with most of the Big Sky Conference schools, NAU has had a football team for many decades, but I have received no information whatsoever for this team from the 1960s or 1970s. Additional information would be greatly appreciated.
NORTHERN COLORADO
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| ? - 2001 |
2002 - 2005 |
2006 - |
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PORTLAND STATE
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| c.1970 |
? - c.1998 |
c.1999 - 2001 |
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| 2002 - 2006 |
2007 - |
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Portland State also used a logo that was similar to the Minnesota Vikings' "viking head" logo at one time (perhaps late 1980s or early 1990s); this was apparently worn on white helmet shells, and may have been multi-colored (I think the logo included both green and light blue parts). Clear photographs of this or any other historical design would be appreciated.
SACRAMENTO STATE
I have not received much information about helmet designs used by Sacramento State before the 1990s, but I have been told that the "SAC" design was in use as early as the late 1960s. The team also apparently used yellow helmets during at least some years in the 1970s.
Photographs from the 1969 season suggest that the team was using yellow helmets with a green "S" on the sides, probably a green-white-green sequence of stripes, and a version of the "100" decal worn at the back of the helmet.
WEBER STATE
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| c.1980s - 1996? |
1997 |
1998 - 2000 |
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| 2001 - 2005 |
2006 - |
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