Top 10 Most Popular College Football Jerseys –Holiday ‘09 Gifts for NCAA Fans

Posted by Stiletto Jen 1,674 views

One of the best gifts you can give a sports fan is a team jersey of his or her’s favorite player. But it’s not enough to just know who has the hottest, most-coveted and best selling jerseys. Sure, that will help narrow the player search down but there are also a few other factors to consider before buying a jersey.

First off, NCAA, or college, jerseys are different from pro sport jerseys. A college jersey does not have the players name on it. Why? Because if they used their name, they would be entitled to a percentage of the sales. And NCAA regulations state that college players are not allowed to be paid or receive kickbacks for playing. So instead, college fans look for jerseys with their favorite player’s number on it! (Which works well because you never know, down the road, someone else on the team may have the same number and you can totally reuse!)

The best sports jerseys, NCAA or other, can run you anywhere from under $50 to over $350. That’s a big spread! Here are the things to consider before picking out an NCAA jersey for a holiday gift:

There are typically three different kinds of jerseys:

Authentic Jerseys: These are the most expensive because they are, well, authentic! Meaning players wear this kind. Heavy weight and flawless quality with all the details sewn into the jersey.
Premier or Swingman Jerseys: These are high-quality, brand name imitation jerseys and are mid-priced usually in the $100’s. These are usually a medium weight/texture (nylon or polyester) and the deails are usually sewn as well.
Replica Jerseys: These jerseys run from $20-70ish and are a great alternative if you can’t afford the authentic or premier jerseys. They are usually light-weight quality with the details screen printed on, not sewn. They won’t last as long over the years as the other kinds but they are still great gifts!

Also there are Fashion Jerseys: These are novelty jerseys, usually for women but not always. Brands like Majestic make awesome jersey-looking tees and tanks that are embellished with sparkles!

You’ll notice in the cool scrolling amazon widget at the top that there are a few of each kind so you can see the difference. Teams are available in each kind of jersey, it’s just up to you on how much you want to spend, and how much your sports fan is coveting that jersey!

There are also different types of jerseys that the players themselves wear:

Home Jerseys: okay so in most sports, including college basketball, when a team plays at home they wear their white or light colored jerseys. However, in college football, they white jerseys are for away. Except LSU.
Away (Road) Jerseys: On the road, teams usually wear a dark or primary colored jersey (in their team colors of course)
Third or Alternate Jerseys: Sometimes teams make up a third kind of jersey to increase jersey sales to make sure they always look fabulous and in style. It’s still based on their team colors but will be a secondary color instead of their primary one used for their away jerseys.
Practice Jerseys: Jerseys that the teams practice in, not play in games with.

One final note, always be careful who you order your jersey from. For the Top NCAA Jersey’s I’m linking directly to Amazon.com because they offer the biggest variety and ease of shopping. But always ensure that your seller is credible!

Here are the Most Coveted, Most Popular, Best Selling, Top NCAA College FootballJerseys for the 2009 Holiday Season!

Top 10 College Football Jerseys:

Florida Gators: Ranked #1 in the country going into the bowl season for 2009, 2008’s National Champions, won more games than any other college football team in the FBS, won 8 SEC Championships and most importantly, the team of NCAA fan favorite player & Heisman Trophy Winner (and current candidate) Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow’s #15 Jerseys will be especially coveted since he is not planning on joining the NFL after this year
Alabama Crimson Tide:
Ohio State Buckeyes: I’m beginning to think Ohio State Fans are plotting to take over the world. They are seriously everywhere—even down here in the heart of Gator Nation. (Look for Terrel Pryor #2)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: They might not always have the best team in the country but anyone that has watched the movie Rudy knows that little kids dream of going to Notre Dame to play college football for the Irish and the Fighting Irish jerseys and apparel sales are always high.
Oklahoma Sooners: Oklahoma has been a power house for years and especially with last year’s Heisman Trophy Winning QB Sam Bradford leading the team. Bradfords #14 Jersey would be a big hit this Christmas (hint hint, I would love it!)
Penn State Nittany Lions: Again, one of the most storied college football programs that everyone flocks to.
Texas Longhorns: The other half of the Red River Rivalry and dominate force in NCAA football. Look for Heisman nominee Colt McCoy’s #12 Jersey.
Miami Hurricanes: Even before I moved to Florida I would see people decked out in Hurricanes gear all over the place.
USC Trojans: Ever since Mark Sanchez hit the team, the jersey sales skyrocketed. His jersey sales from the New York Jets even surpass Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
LSU: LSU is famous for wearing their white jerseys at home, instead of on the road so pick one of those up instead of the darker colored ones!