Harvard Crimson (1972-73)

What better way to celebrate Harvard's share of the Ivy League basketball title and an NCAA Tournament berth than with ... a football uniform? Well, it's the best I can do.

In 1972, Joe Restic's second year as coach, the Crimson ditched the helmet numbers they had worn under John Yovicsin for a logo ... if you call a generic-looking "H" a logo. Harvard made the switch in season's fourth game, against Cornell, while the jersey, pants and socks retained the look the Crimson had used since the mid-1960s.

The "number" helmet -- two fonts were used in '72 only -- wasn't worn with the white shirts in '72. Amazingly, Harvard wore the whites only once that year, at Princeton. Only two of the Crimson's nine games were on the road, and one was at Columbia, where the visiting team usually wore dark jerseys, presumably to contrast better with Columbia's Columbia-blue jerseys.

The 1972 Crimson wear numbers on the helmets at Columbia ...

... and a big letter "H" a week later against Cornell.
The first pic is from the Columbia Spectator; the second is
form the Cornell Daily Sun.

The "logo" was used until 1974, when Harvard adopted "The REAL Football Centennial" logo. Please tell me in 2014 Harvard breaks out a logo that says "The REAL Football Sesquicentennial."

Harvard breaks out the white jerseys for only time in 1972,
ar Princeton. From the Daily Princetonian.

But wait, there's more! Other Harvard unis you may have missed: 2012-14; 1975-79; 1980-83; 1967-70. Rivalry Week: Harvard-Yale.