Why do we obsess over college football uniforms?

Call me a uniform snob. I can promise you it won’t hurt my feelings in the least.

I’ve spent more time on the uniform select screen on NCAA Football for Playstation over the last decade than I have generating a custom playbook or doing my best no-huddle spread impression against a nano-blitzing avid gamer through a spotty wireless connection.

Why else would anyone from the South cycle through years worth of Swoosh-inspired Oregon, TCU or Oklahoma State alternate combinations to find the hottest gameday set?

Volt is the new white. Ask Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Talking in apparel lingo is the norm for superfans of uniform redesigns, stylized fonts and most of all, alternate helmets.

And I’m not the only one.

Your granddaddy, whose been a season-ticket holder for 50 years, may roll his eyes over your team’s new black alternates (not a primary color, commence outrage!) and your father may not care for Flywired collars, but uniform updates are a massive hit to the younger generation of fans and especially players.

It’s part of the reason we make such a big deal over program-hosted fashion shows like Tennessee’s Nike presentation last week.

And it doesn’t stop with jerseys and pants. Vision shields, flashy gloves, brave base layers, custom socks and bright, neon-inspired cleats have become commonplace on the gridiron at all levels.

The ever-popular ‘look good, play good’ mantra has been turned up a notch over the last decade during the sneaker industry’s ultimate boom. Revenue figures are at record highs and the secondary market for footwear has never been more vast. Players join in fun daily on social media and there are hundreds of blogs who dedicate their content to what players are wearing on their feet.

Much to the NFL’s dislike, custom cleats featuring airbrushed graphics and color fades from design freaks are here to stay. Flashy footwear encourages individuality and strengthens personal brands — a win-win for players.

If it hasn’t already, Kicks of the Day (KOTD) will soon be added to your daily Twitter and Instagram feeds and it’s not exclusive to the NBA or sneakerheads. Football players love taking part.

From head to toe, players are now outfitted to perform at a high level and look good doing it. I remember watching Miami safety Sean Taylor wreck Florida State’s offense in 2003 during a rainstorm at Doak Campbell Stadium wearing the first rainbow-tinted visor. Taylor oozed cool and I wanted one.

Most tinted vision shields have since been outlawed at the college and pro levels, but clear shields remain a must-have accessory for players.

I had a similar reaction, as did most of the country, when Oregon debuted its winged chrome helmets in 2012 at the Rose Bowl. Several teams have followed suit with dipped, reflective shells, but the Ducks were trend-setters and changed the game.

College football appeals to Generation Z due in large part to uniform relevance, marketing and brand strategy. Purists may not care if Ole Miss brings out its powder blue lids, but the vast majority of fans and players do, which is why apparel updates and brand-switch reveals have become a spectacle during what I like to call college football’s Fashion Era.