Since their re-introduction in 2015, the modern white helmets have gathered a 3-5 record, leaving fans to label them as “cursed.” But helmets have a deep tradition and represent significant times in Gators history.

Let's take a look at Florida's white helmet history (thread)

The Gators debuted white helmets for the first time in program history against the Citadel in 1951. After wearing helmets for the 1st game, the Gators broke out helmets for their home opener

UF would alternate between & helmets during the season, wearing 5 times

The 1952 season saw white helmets make their permanent debut in a 33-6 win over Stetson. The original white helmets featured a single orange stripe, gray facemasks, and no numbers.

Florida would continue to wear this white helmet design for 3 seasons.

After opening the 1955 season against Mississippi State with the previous white helmets, coach Woodruff added black numbers to the helmet for the next game against Georgia Tech.

Florida would keep this helmet design until the 1962 season.

In 1962, Florida added helmet stickers, much like current day Ohio State. These stickers appeared on the front of the helmet as stars.

The helmet design also changed to (what appears to be (b/w photos are hard to read)) orange numbers, while keeping the single orange stripe.

1962 Gator Bowl vs Penn State.

“UF was 6-4 and PSU was 9-1. PSU felt that playing Florida was a slap in the face. Since PSU felt that way, Florida put Battle Flags on the side of the helmet to pump the team up.” – http://Nationalchamps.net 

Florida won 17-7

After a 3yr hiatus, the 1966 season featured the white helmets Florida fans most often recognize; Spurrier’s block F with a B/O/B stripe. This same helmet design was replicated in the 2006 throwbacks

Florida finished the season 9-2 and Spurrier walked away with a Heisman trophy.

The 1967 season was arguably the most complicated uniform season for the Gators. The season featured 3 different helmets:

Orange stripe, football F
B/O/B strip, football F
B/O/B stripe, black numbers

1968 was the first appearance of the interlocking UF logo on Florida’s helmets (later worn on orange helmets).

After a 38yr hiatus, white helmets finally returned to the field for the Gators in the form of 1966 throwbacks for the 2006 game vs Alabama.

The throwback uniforms were worn in celebration of Florida’s 100th season of football.

Florida won 28-13

Then, in Tebow’s final game in The Swamp, Florida debuted new look white helmets for the 2009 Nike Pro Combat uniforms.

“Nike designers immersed themselves in Gators’ history and lore to bring inspiration cues to the look and direction of the uniforms” - http://FloridaGators.com 

After Florida put a thorough beatdown on Florida State in the final home game of the 2009 season, players voted to wear the helmet again in the 2009 SEC Championship Game vs. Alabama. The Gators took the field in all white for the first time in over 40yrs.

But after the upset by Bama, the Urban Meyer banned the helmets as they would never see the field again.

Riley Cooper would say “It didn’t work out for us, so I don’t think we’ll wear those again. I’m not wearing mine [ever] again.”

White helmets seemed all but gone, that is, until 2015.

Late one night, HC Jim McElwain posted this image on twitter ahead of homecoming against Vanderbilt:

Many fans speculated the Gators would be getting new helmets, with rumors that there was a possibility of black helmets.

Then, on Nov 7, 2015, Florida revealed new white helmets featuring the traditional script Gators on one side with slant F from the Nike Pro Combat uniforms on the other side. Also new was tapered orange and blue stripes.

Florida squeaked out a 9-7 win over Vanderbilt

Coach McElwain explained the white helmets after the game: "Some of our players asked about a white helmet and of course, I looked around the building and there are pictures of white helmets everywhere, so I just thought we had them and found out we didn’t cont ->

“I think there is some true symbolism in those helmets,’’ McElwain said. “For me, especially on a homecoming game, it was an opportunity to link the present – with the ‘Gators’ script on one side – and unite it with the past with the ‘Block F’ on the other side."

"That was really the driving force behind it and our guys appreciated it because some of them were recruited here thinking they were going to wear a white helmet sometimes.”
After that game, Florida’s white helmets became the talk of the nation as recruits flocked to them:

Ahead of the 2016 season, there was a rumor/opinion (outlined by u/risto1116 on Reddit https://bit.ly/34MQNkf ) that McElwain wanted the white helmets to be permanent.

Even the 2016 poster featured the W/B/W combination, leading some to think white helmets would be worn more

Entering the 2016 season, Florida was now 1-1 in white helmets leaving some fans unsure. But the Gators took everyone by surprise by revealing an all-white combination with the new white helmets for the Tennessee game. It was the first time the Gators wore all white since 2009

However, Florida’s 11 game win streak vs Tennessee was broken as they gave up 38 unanswered points to lose 38-28.

UF opened the 2017 season vs UM in “Color Rush” uniforms. Florida wore an all-blue uniform with all-blue accessories and the white helmet in a 33-17 loss

Contrary to what many reported, this wasn't a new combo for the Gators as they previously wore the combo against USC in 2016

The Gators would go on to wear white helmets 2 more times during the 2017 season, both at home:

UAB 36-7 W
FSU 38-22 L

In comes new head coach Dan Mullen. Early on, Mullen made 1 thing clear; the Gators would be returning to a more traditional look

It wasn’t clear the white helmets would make their return.

At this point, fans wanted each side of the white helmet to match. And as recruits began visiting Florida, many chose the white helmet for their photoshoot, and revealed the new-look white helmet;

On July 28, 2018, it was confirmed script Gators would appear on both sides.

As Florida entered a huge matchup with Georgia, the Gators officially revealed the new look white helmets with script Gators on both sides and the slant F on the bumper.

The Gators took the field in all-white Jordan uniforms, but lost 36-17.

At this point, the Gators were 3-5 in white helmets since their re-introduction in 2015 including bad losses to UT, FSU, Michigan, and Georgia.

Fans officially labeled the white helmet as “cursed”

But as appealing to 18yr old recruits becomes more and more critical, the white helmets stayed.

WAY more often than not, white helmets were the helmet of choice during visits.

2019 featured the 15th different white helmet in Gator’s history as Florida revealed 1960’s era throwbacks vs Auburn:

An orange stripe, block F/circle F combination, and 150th logo on the bumper.

Florida won 24-13

Florida will once again take the field in white helmets this weekend. Their 90-60-7 all-time record represents a significant part of Gators history. While they may leave a sour taste now, white helmets deserve recognition as a fundamental piece of tradition for the Florida Gators

Correction: 94-60-7. 95 wins as of Vandy 2019