by Paul Lukas
ESPN
Who was that black-clad team playing against Army in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl?
It was SMU. The Mustangs said they wore black in honor of Army, because Army's team name is the Black Knights. For those keeping score at home, that means there were two teams on the field honoring Army and none honoring SMU.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Could we see SMU wearing black again in the future?
The explanation for the black jerseys might be disingenuous (let's get real: SMU just wanted a new jersey to sell), but it sure opened up some interesting possibilities. Imagine if Michigan wore red against Ohio State to "honor" the Buckeyes. Or if Alabama wore blue while playing Auburn. And why stop with college football? In the NFL, the Vikings could wear green while playing the Packers, the Cowboys could wear burgundy while playing the Skins and the Chiefs could wear black when facing off against the Raiders. Hey, a gratuitous use of black, just like SMU -- perfect!
Speaking of SMU, a Dallas radio station host reportedly said this morning that he'd seen photos of black helmets and black pants to go along with the Mustangs' black jerseys. Can't wait to hear what kind of convoluted explanation they come up with when those show up on the field next year.
