Inside The Huskies

Huskies Haven't Played Like Champs, But They'll Dress Like Them for UCLA

It's throwback Saturday for Jimmy Lake's football team against the Bruins.

Dan Raley

Huskies Haven't Played Like Champs, But They'll Dress Like Them for UCLA
Huskies Haven't Played Like Champs, But They'll Dress Like Them for UCLA /

The University of Washington football team hasn't played anywhere near like a champion this season, but come Saturday afternoon against UCLA it's going to dress like one.

To commemorate homecoming, the 30th anniversary of the national title team and the first visit by the Bruins in four years, the Huskies will pull on specially-made throwback uniforms for this Pac-12 game.

They'll be dressed in more traditional shades of purple and gold colors, with an old-style "Panting Dawg" logo fastened outside the helmet for the first time, but no multi-colored stripes running down the side of the pants.

Starting Husky offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland will wear a game uniform markedly similar to the one his father, Dean, pulled on for the UW in 1987-90. Both answer to No. 51 and have earned first-team all-conference recognition, Dean drawing his honors in what was the Pac-10.  

"I'm wearing the same number as him," the younger Kirkland said before the season began. "It's going to be a pretty cool Saturday."

Teammate Terrell Bynum was used as a uniform model in both online photos and the accompanying video.

Former wide receiver Mario Bailey, shown below in the Twitter video, and inside linebacker Brett Collins, both from the national championship team, plus family members for late Husky coach Don James, who include his wife Carol, daughter Jenni and son Jeff, will come out for the pregame coin toss against UCLA.

Mike Gastineau, author of "Fear No Man: Don James, the '91 Huskies, and the Seven-Year Quest for a National Football Championship," will be available to meet with fans and sign copies of his book before the game at the Husky Team Store at the stadium. 

The Huskies (2-3 overall, 1-1 Pac-12) look to use anything they can, symbolic football wear, appearances by former greats and successful reminders at every turn, to try and get the current team back on the winning track.

Kickoff is 5:30 p.m. for the UW-UCLA game, which will be broadcast by FOX and likely played in a downpour, making those throwback uniforms wet and slippery.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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