Houston Cougars Football Unveils Sky Blue Alternate Uniforms in Honor of the Houston Oilers

H-Town will be baby blue again.

The University of Houston football team on Thursday unveiled alternate uniforms for its upcoming season that pay homage to the city’s history with the sport. The Nike uniforms feature a baby blue jersey with red accents and white pants with baby blue and white stripes down the side. The white helmet has the word “Houston” in sky blue surrounded by red with sky blue and red stripes down the center.

Although the Cougars don’t directly name the Houston Oilers in their uniform rollout, the professional team wore sky blue when playing in the city. As one of the original members of the AFL in the 1960s, they won the league’s first two championships. After the NFL merger, their fans gave birth to the “Luv Ya Blue” movement in the 1970s.

The uniforms will be worn Saturday and the end zones at TDECU Stadium will be painted baby blue for the Cougars’ season opener. The game against the UTSA Roadrunners will be Houston’s first game in the Big 12. The school is offering a $15 “Love You Houston” ticket deal for the big day.

The team revealed the uniforms promotional video on X ” is narrated by Olympic track and field legend Carl Lewis, who is now the school’s head track and field coach. The nine-time gold medalist reflects on the city’s community strength as well as the history of the football program.

“Houston is a tradition, a place with a long history of winning, always pushing the limits and never giving up,” Lewis said. “…Houston is our home. This city rich in culture, steeped in pride, this place is more than just a pin on the map. It’s a way of life. It’s for the city that always supports us . This one is for the people who live in this place. I love you Houston, this one is for you.

In the 1970s and 1980s, head coach Bill Yeoman established the school’s presence on the national football landscape. He led the team to the 1976 Southwest Conference championship and concluded the season with a Cotton Bowl victory over Maryland. Andre Ware was the first black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy in 1989.

Two years after Yeoman left in 1986, the NCAA placed the school on three years’ probation after finding recruiting violations and improper payments to players.

The Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997 and became the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The Houston Texans made their NFL debut in 2002.

The Titans are also paying homage to the Oilers with alternate uniforms this season. This summer, they unveiled sky blue jerseys with red accents and white helmets with sky blue and red stripes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston Cougars unveil Oilers-inspired football uniforms