Ranking all BIG Ten uniforms from worst to first

Don't let anyone tell you style doesn't matter.

Fans and sports journalists are well aware that in football, teams race to claim conference titles and secure bragging rights. However, there is another underlying competition amidst the Football Bowl Subdivision: boasting the best uniform. Don't be fooled - solidifying a brand is important to programs not only in an economic sense, but for attracting recruits.

So, with bias aside and nothing but personal taste as my marker of judgement, I will give each BIG Ten uniform the rightful college sports royal treatment: a ranking.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The downhill spiral began when Rutgers ditched Nike, Inc. to sign a six-year pact with adidas in 2017. As a result, some unique characteristics were altered or even removed. For starters, the team's Nike uniforms boasted chainmail shoulder pattern - an expression of armor that knights might have worn. When adidas partnered with the university, it left out this Renaissance-esque design and opted for plain shoulders. Additionally, instead of the block "R"on the chest, "Rutgers" is spelled out fully over the jersey number. This makes the uniform seem more clunky and congested.

Besides the occasional alternate jersey, the program failed to capture creativity with one of the most common color schemes in sports.

13. Maryland Terrapins

I have never been a fan of the Maryland flag. Although it's very hard to forget the melting pot of colors, at times this uniqueness can come off as forced. Give under Under Armour credit because it does the best that it can to integrate this clash of colors into a jersey. But, for a program that has donned at least 20 different combinations of uniforms since 2011, the Terps are still searching for that perfect match.

12. Nebraska Cornhuskers

If Nebraska didn't release its 2017 adidas alternate uniforms last season, the team would likely be tied with Rutgers at the bottom of this rankings. Not surprisingly, Nebraska is as traditional as a program could get when balancing the red-white color scheme. Regardless, the block "N" on player helmets relays an old-school feel.

Although this apparent grasp to the program's golden days in the 1990s is admirable, perhaps the team could benefit from a different uniform design as Nebraska strives to re-position itself in the conference.

11. Indiana Hoosiers

The Hoosiers are limited because of their logo: a straightforward "IU." Yet, the crimson and cream combination continues to stand the test of time. Although the uniform is uncomplicated, the school's current helmet experimentation is another story. Indiana will always be forced to resort to the "IU" emblem because its mascot, a hoosier, cannot be replicated onto helmets or apparel very well. As a result, fans have witnessed some designs, such as the state flag edition, that fall short. Personally, the university's peppermint wheel chrome helmet bounced the Hoosiers into this ranking by itself.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions

Fans of the BIG Ten and college football in general might view this as an unpopular opinion. For me, this traditional jersey is too plain. The Penn State uniforms boast no logo, no names and most importantly, no variety. Don't get me wrong - it's pretty intimidating to see the "white-out" in Beaver Stadium, but wouldn't it be more chilling if the team matched the color of its fans?

Add some pop, Penn State.

9. Wisconsin Badgers

Thanks to Under Armour, the Badgers donned a uniform that separated itself from the other red-white Big Ten opponents for the first time last fall. Unlike UW's previous adidas uniforms, the white stripes were raised slightly on the shoulders. Additionally, there are arrows located on various parts of the uniform that represent the Wisconsin state motto: "Forward."

As a whole, UW's uniforms are still too plain. Moving forward, the school could benefit from a color rush scheme or helmet variation.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

The black and gold is a distinct Hawkeye characteristic, but the team continues to trend of those that fell before it: variation. Iowa could mix up the yellow or go all black, but similar to Penn State, this is a uniform that likely isn't changing anytime soon.

It's nothing fancy, but the colors are a breath of fresh air in a conference crowded with red and white. Fortunately, the school reps the swoosh, which is known for releasing templates that are out-of-the-box. Yet, this is far from a reality for the traditionalist program that calls Kinnick Stadium home.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes

Since Urban Meyer took the reigns, the Buckeyes have toyed with their uniforms a bit. These designs brought memories of Ohio history, but I only praise the team's ability to crank out alternate uniforms, especially in preparation for big games. Specifically, give credit to OSU's alternate uniform for its matchup against Penn State in 2017. This, combined with the chrome helmet stickers, made for a striking, nationally-televised appearance.

Unfortunately, one uniform cannot save Ohio State. Some of its jersey combinations resemble pajamas or comfortable sweatpants at times. For the Buckeyes, embracing the abstract is the pathway to success - at least in my ranking system.

6. Illinois Fighting Illini

Orange is the color that distinguishes the Illini from the rest of the BIG Ten and its pairing with the navy-white makes for a sharp uniform. The team's recent rebranding paved the way for a splash of new looks, including the debut of an all-grey 2017 Homecoming uniform in October. Illinois boasts a variety of looks, but effectively mixes and matches colors to distract its fans from its disappointing record year after year.

5. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Although the Gophers' newest uniforms won't take the field until 2018, the potential, detail and improvement jumps Minnesota into the top five. Although the maroon-and-gold scheme does not please the eye well, the new-look uniforms make up for that. For example, two of the helmet designs feature an oar down the center while all of the helmets feature a compass with the respective player number etched inside.

There's a lot going on throughout the uniforms in terms of symbolism and design, but the detail and look sold me almost instantly. In fact, the team has over 100 jersey combinations to experiment with starting in 2018.

4. Purdue Boilermakers

Black and gold is a fantastic color scheme, and the Boilermakers are rocking it. The program's new "P" logo highlights the gold tint unlike previous years when the silver was showcased. Additionally, the chrome helmets are a nice touch when the team opts for its all-black jerseys. Nike did a great job, and the Boilermakers wear some of the cleanest uniforms in the BIG Ten.

In the future, the team has a chance to boast one of the best helmets in the conference if they permanently leave the train track design on, rather than experimenting with it.

3. Northwestern Wildcats

Mixing with black, purple and white gives Northwestern a cut above the rest in the BIG Ten conference. Not many other teams in the NCAA use purple as their primary color and that is why the Wildcats have such an appealing uniform. Pair that with the slick horizontal stripe going through the jersey numbers and NU has plenty of opportunities to be creative.

For the most part, it has. However, my only criticism would be to scale back on the helmet combinations. Adding grey makes for fresh threads, but too much grey takes away from the uniqueness.

Embrace the purple.

2. Michigan State Spartans

The green and white colors work well together for the Spartans, but its the team's logo - one of the best in the conference - that really makes the jerseys pop for the Spartans. Some notable combinations were the all-white pride jerseys (2007-09), the bronze helmets with black pants (2011) and the various all-green jerseys the school has displayed throughout the years.

Not surprisingly, when you think of green in college football, you think of the Spartans.

1. Michigan Wolverines

It's all about the Jumpman. Should I say any more?

Forget the adidas alternates in the Michigan dark ages, the partnership with Jordan has brought out the best of the maize and blue in Ann Arbor. The best part of the uniform is the winged helmet. Its not flashy, but its iconic.

Speaking of flashy, I was a fan of Michigan stepping away from its classic colors and showcasing the all-yellow uniforms against Florida last fall.

In all, Michigan's classic home uniform shows that it doesn't need to do anything crazy to look intimidating.

Jonathan Mills covers Wisconsin football and basketball for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @therealJMlLLS.