Western Kentucky might have the coolest helmets in the history of college football
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4-3, 2-1 in conference) have a very tough matchup against the Liberty Flames (7-0, 5-0 in conference) coming up. The Flames are first-place in Conference USA for the time being, and any hope the Hilltoppers have of winning a conference championship this season could hinge on this pivotal game. That's why they are pulling out all the stops, and heading into action with some of the coolest helmets to ever grace a gridiron.
Now, you might be thinking, "Okay, sure. Those are alright. I like the red Grimace-looking guy on the side, but coolest ever? That's a stretch."
Oh, we're just getting started.
In addition to the return of WKU mascot Big Red to the helmets, every positional group on the team will feature Big Red in a different pose based on their position. Take a look:
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WKU Big Red variation helmets:
Quarterbacks:
Running backs:
Wide Receivers/Tight ends:
Offensive/Defensive Linemen:
Linebackers:
Defensive Backs:
Special Teams:
Even the kickers and punters got some love. That's thoroughness on the Western Kentucky Athletics Department's end. Bravo!
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Reactions from X (formerly Twitter):
Western Kentucky's helmets for Tuesday vs. Liberty are FIRE🔥
Each position group will wear a different helmet decal of Big Red👀
(via @WKUFootball) https://t.co/5eL8nxQwv1 pic.twitter.com/YbnpxLtAL4— On3 (@On3sports) October 20, 2023
👀😍 Western Kentucky will feature 7 versions of “Big Red” on its helmet Tuesday vs. Liberty. Each position group will wear different helmet decal 👀 pic.twitter.com/A2yqcP73Gw
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 20, 2023
Western Kentucky unveils awesome helmets with variations of Big Red mascot for game vs. Libertyhttps://t.co/Z7IQYmy3uN
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) October 20, 2023
Has Big Red been on the team's helmets before?
Yes. His helmet debut was rather recent actually. His first appearance came on November 12, 2022 in a game against Rice. He was depicted throwing the ball, similarly to how he's seen throwing the ball on the new quarterback helmets. WKU won the game 45-10.
The new helmets are part of a full uniform makeover. This season, stripes were added to the team's jersey, pants, and helmets. In addition, the "Tops" script logo was added under each player's belt.
Where and when will the helmets be seen in action?
Western Kentucky University sits at 4-3 overall this season and 2-1 in Conference USA play. Tuesday's game is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPNU.
How to watch: Catch football action this season with Fubo
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Western Kentucky football wearing awesome helmets for game vs. Liberty