It all began 20 years ago

September 2, 1999. East Lansing, Michigan...

Oregon started its first season with quarterback Joey Harrington as starter, losing to Nick Saban-coached Michigan State...

BUT the most notable aspect of this Sept. 2 game—to readers of this blog at least—is that it was the first game using the new "O" helmet and the new Nike uniforms that had been teased and unveiled nine months earlier at the 1998 Aloha Bowl (a loss to Colorado!).

Before 1999, Oregon wore the standard home/away sets and the interlocking UO helmets, that have now become quant and retro. After this game, the uniform floodgates opened and the Oregon mystique of a new combo each week emerged.

The Oregon that the country now loves and hates was born. Color shifting mallard-green helmets with the simple "O" and more use of mono-colors and...gasp...black, the full side stripe and the non-collegiate block typeface that would eventually lead to "Bellotti Bold" font. Diamond plate, wings, high tech, and highlighter-yellow, oh my! It all began 20 years ago.

Some nice links about the history of this evolution:

GoDucks and Rob Moseley give us an oral history off the "O":
https://goducks.com/news/2019/8/15/general-oral-history-the-o-turns-20.aspx


https://www.bakasmedia.com/blog/2014/12/16/how-the-oregon-ducks-brand-was-created

https://1000logos.net/oregon-ducks-logo/

BEFORE 1999:

AFTER 1999: