TCU Will Restore Spike Collars for 2027 Season

The iconic design element returns to the Horned Frogs football uniforms for the 2027 season.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Football

TCU Will Restore Spike Collars for 2027 Season

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TCU will officially reintegrate spike collar designs into their Nike football uniforms starting with the 2027 season. This move restores a stylistic feature that was last worn by the team during the 2023 season.

Why it matters

The university utilizes unique uniform aesthetics as a strategic tool to attract prospective recruits and engage visitors. By bringing back the popular design, the program aims to bolster its visual identity on the field.

The spike collar was a signature element of the uniforms worn during the 2022 College Football Playoff run. These designs have historically featured blood-red themes and frog-skin number patterns.

The players

TCU

Texas Christian University is a private research university in Fort Worth that manages the competitive football program.

Nike

Nike is a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic footwear and apparel for university programs.

The details

The university maintains a creative collaboration with Nike to update their uniform sets after introducing a simplified, collar-less aesthetic in 2024. Examples of past uniform iterations remain on public display at the Jane & John Justin Hall of Fame within Schollmaier Arena.

The team wore spike collars during the 2022 College Football Playoff.
Spike collars were last used on uniforms during the 2023 season.
TCU debuted simplified uniforms without spike collars in the 2024 season.
Spike collars are scheduled to return for the 2027 football season.

Season Trajectory

The return of the spike collar signals a shift back toward the aggressive branding that defined the team's historic 2022 playoff run. This change aims to restore a sense of program identity that many fans and recruits associated with the team's recent period of national prominence.

The transition back to spike collars will alter the aesthetic presentation of the team starting in 2027. Fans can expect these specific uniform sets to be displayed at the Jane & John Justin Hall of Fame at Schollmaier Arena following their introduction.

The takeaway

Schools often use design changes to foster a sense of tradition and excitement around their athletic programs. Implementing recognizable elements can serve as a long-term engagement strategy for both current students and prospective athletes.