K-State football has stuck with its traditional silver helmets and purple-and-white uniforms for years. But against Arizona State on Oct. 24, the Wildcats brought back something fans had not seen in nearly four decades: purple helmets.

Debuting its new alternate uniforms Oct. 24, K-State paired purple helmets with white road jerseys and purple pants featuring white stripes down the sides. The look was a welcome change, and the Wildcats should bring it back.

The purple helmets feature a white Powercat logo, keeping one of the program’s most recognizable symbols while giving the team a fresh look. 

The uniforms also carry some history. K-State last wore purple helmets in 1988, one year before Bill Snyder took over as head coach and introduced the silver-helmet look that became a staple of the program.

The purple pants have history, too. Former coach Ron Prince used them from 2006-2008, making their return another nod to the program’s past.

New head coach Collin Klein had previously expressed interest in adding more uniform options, and this combination shows why that was worth considering. K-State does not need to change its look completely to give players and fans something different. Sometimes, a small change is enough.

Of course, new uniforms will not fix the team’s problems on the field. K-State lost to Arizona State 28-17 on Oct. 24, and its performance matters far more than what the players wear. Still, the uniforms gave fans something exciting to talk about, even after a disappointing result.

The Wildcats should keep their traditional silver helmets, but they have no reason not to mix in the purple ones from time to time. 

K-State got this one right. The purple helmets look good, connect the team to its past and deserve another appearance.