Unfortunate Truth About Oregon’s Grey Uniforms in Big Games

The Oregon Ducks unveiled their uniforms ahead of their College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal matchup against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Even though the Ducks will suit up in a combo that hasn’t been seen this season, some fans reacted with concern due to one key detail.

Oregon is set to wear grey pants for the first time this season. The program’s record when wearing grey pants is 16-9 all-time, but the Ducks have lost some important games over the years when suiting up in a similar look.

oregon ducks dan lanning texas tech red raiders uniforms nil recruiting college football playoff ohio state buckeyes jmu — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning breaks from a huddle as the No. 6 Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Behind the Grey Pants Superstition

Strongest as one.@CFBPlayoff Quarterfinals uniform combo for @OregonFootball. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/eDoU7PCZMo
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) December 24, 2025

Oregon prepares to wear its first white jersey and grey pants combo since 2015 as it heads to the Orange Bowl. The Ducks will also wear black helmets with silver wings, which makes it just the second three-color combo of the season.

The Ducks lost to the Auburn Tigers by a field goal as time expired in the 2011 BCS National Championship while wearing grey pants. In 2012, it was a similar story in an overtime loss to a top-15 Stanford team. Other notable instances of grey pants heartbreak include a stunning 2013 defeat to unranked Arizona and the Ducks falling to Ohio State in the 2015 CFP National Championship.

Oregon reached the CFP for the first time since 2015 when the playoff format expanded last season. The Ducks’ postseason journey ended in the quarterfinal, however, due to another defeat at the hands of the Buckeyes.

Dan Lanning recorded his first head coaching CFP win in the first round against James Madison. The program has its sights set of advancing farther into the postseason than it did a season ago. The Red Raiders won’t be an easy matchup for the Ducks on their way to a potential semifinal appearance.

Texas Tech is the higher seed in the New Year’s Day clash following its Big 12 Championship win over BYU. Like Oregon, the Red Raiders are also ranked in the national top-11 in scoring offense and defense. Their defense is led by All-American linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey, who can cause havoc in both defending the pass game and rushing attack.

MORE: Big Ten Team Emerges as Dark Horse in National Championship Odds

MORE: Oregon Ducks Could Steal Another Transfer Portal Player From USC Trojans

MORE: Oregon Fans Won't Like ESPN's Score Prediction For Texas Tech vs. Ducks

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!

Orange Bowl Uniforms Receive Mixed Reviews

Outside of the grey pants controversy, the quarterfinal uniforms have received some mixed opinions. The reveal featured several references, including the starting offensive line modeling the uniforms, which many interpreted as a reference to their Joe Moore Award loss to Iowa. Oregon’s also wearing silver wings like it did when it defeated the Red Raiders on the road in 2023.

Several fans have expressed their dissatisfaction on social media throughout the season about the Ducks’ lack of green and yellow uniforms. Nearly half of their uniform combinations featured black or white in 2025.

Oregon wore its traditional green and yellow in the first round. While some are skeptical of the program’s postseason record in non-green or yellow uniforms, the Ducks have won big games recently in them.

On the road earlier this season, Oregon took down Penn State in double-overtime while wearing white uniforms. The Ducks also defeated a top-25 USC team in black jerseys and pants in November. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defeat in the Rose Bowl last CFP featured green jerseys, silver helmets and white pants.