Though University of Oregon fans will likely be decked out in green and yellow on Monday for the National College Playoff Championship, the Ducks will take the field in an icy white uniform to face the Ohio State Buckeyes.
It's the 15th gear debut for the powerhouse football team this season, and the second combination to leave the school's colors out (the October Breast Cancer Awareness uniforms were black with pink accents). But where does all the green and gold go when it's not on the field?
UO Athletics Department spokesman Todd Miles said the uniforms, which have been exclusively made by Nike since the late 1990s, are worn about four or five times before they're phased out. Some come out worse for wear, but those that still have some life in them can take a few different paths.
The department may choose a few of historical significance to keep around. Seniors have the chance to choose one uniform from their playing days as a keepsake, and they're invited to buy more with their number. Others are sold on the , where all profits benefit student-athletes.
"We sell a lot of Oregon gear," said Miles. "It's no different from buying something from the bookstore. It all comes back into the general fund."
There have also been a few special destinations for Ducks gear. Annually, the players give their spring military-inspired uniforms to men and women serving in the U.S. military. And in October 2013, the athletic department auctioned off 25 of the Ducks' highlighter pink helmets, raising some $200,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
Those that aren't picked up by a player or a fan are sent into storage.
"A lot of what we do here is based around those uniforms," said Miles. "Nike and Oregon have a great working relationship, and those uniforms are at the forefront of what everybody thinks about the University of Oregon."
Fans looking to get their hands on a piece of the historic uniforms being worn Monday are out of luck.
Normally players don't get to keep their bowl game uniforms at any college, but the UO athletics department will allow the Ducks to keep their icy white get-ups after the championship game, win or lose.
To kick off the 2014-2015 season, the Ducks debuted their home white jerseys.
The Ducks revealed pink accented uniforms for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
The Ducks surprised fans with a throwback jersey when playing the Washington to commemorate the 20th anniversary of "The Pick."
The Ducks donned bright green uniforms to face-off with the Oregon State Beavers for the Civil War game.
The Ducks wore helmets with UO's "O" logo to the Rose Bowl, as opposed to the typical feathers they had worn most of the season.
Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
