Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, September 29, 2012

Josh Ferguson
US Presswire

Losers of two of its last three, the Illinois football team is going with a new look for Saturday's Big Ten opener against Penn State. It's a combination the program has never worn, and it includes a new blue matte helmet, an orange jersey and blue pants.

The helmet has been on display around Illinois, but it wasn't expected to be debuted until 2013. It's a beauty, so it's no surprise the Illini are going with it earlier than expected. You have to think the players have been begging to wear the helmet since they first saw it.

Here's a better look at the helmet:

BTN.com web editor Brent Yarina covers football and men's basketball for BTN.com. He writes the popular uniform feature "Clothes Call," which also focuses on the latest cosmetic changes across Big Ten arenas and stadiums. Read all of his latest work here. You can subscribe to Yarina's RSS feed and follow him on Twitter @BTNBrentYarina.