Miami and adidas have brought back the look that defined one of college football's most dominant teams, unveiling throwback uniforms built to honor the Hurricanes' 2001 BCS national championship squad. The collection includes an orange jersey paired with white pants and a white jersey paired with green pants, with both tops featuring a gold “2001” tag stitched onto the back collar.
The reveal marks the 25th anniversary of that unbeaten Miami team, according to SI.com. Adidas remastered the retro design using modern uniform technology while keeping the visual identity tied to the 2001 squad, the outlet reported. Miami plans to formally celebrate the anniversary during its conference matchup against Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 24, though it remains unclear which game this season the Hurricanes will actually wear the throwbacks, per the same report.
According to Sports Business Journal, the uniforms are meant to honor the school's 2001 national championship team specifically, and both jersey options carry the same champion gold tag on the collar. The uniforms are expected to be sold through the adidas website and at select retailers, though no release date has been announced, the report notes.
A Nostalgic Sendoff Before Miami Shifts to Nike
The throwback drop carries extra weight given what's coming for Miami's apparel deal. Per Sports Business Journal, the Hurricanes are expected to leave adidas for Nike once their current contract expires on June 30, 2027, ending a 12-year run with the three-stripe brand. Notably, the 2001 title team itself never wore adidas — SI.com points out that Miami was a Nike school from 1987 to 2015, a stretch that included that unbeaten championship season.
Miami's most notable game remaining on its regular-season slate was identified as a November 7 matchup against Notre Dame, according to Sports Business Journal's report. That 2001 team, as NBC Miami recalls, capped its unbeaten season by dominating Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl on January 3, 2002. NBC Miami's report also notes that squad featured 17 NFL first-round draft picks and 22 future All-Pros, a talent haul that still stands out a quarter-century later.
Current Stars Model the New Threads
The throwback rollout featured current Hurricanes modeling the gear rather than just product shots. NBC Miami's report identified receiver Malachi Toney, offensive tackle Matthew McCoy and defensive lineman Justin Scott as the players shown wearing the uniforms in the brief promotional video.
The tribute lands as Miami rides a strong start under coach Mario Cristobal, who currently has the Hurricanes at 3-0 and ranked No. 6 nationally, according to the Miami Herald. Miami has chased another national title since that 2001 run, and the program still remembers coming up short in the BCS championship game the following year and losing the College Football Playoff title game at home last season, the Herald reported.
Mensah's Record Night Adds to the Momentum
The throwback news comes on the heels of a record-setting performance from quarterback Darian Mensah, Miami's third veteran transfer quarterback in as many seasons. Per the Herald's reporting, Mensah completed 24 consecutive passes to open Miami's 33-20 win over Wake Forest, setting both a Miami school record and an Atlantic Coast Conference record for consecutive completions to start a game. He finished 71-of-79 passing for 873 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions, good for a 89.9 percent completion rate, even as Miami's offense hit a late-game lull, the Herald noted.
Mensah credited the outing to visualization, solid protection and receivers catching at a high rate, according to the Herald's report, while Cristobal praised his quarterback's accuracy, leadership and positive play, adding that Mensah remains focused on improving individually and as part of the group. Miami hosts Central Michigan, which enters at 2-1, on Saturday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. local time, with the game airing on The CW, per the Herald.
