TCU football dons special clover helmets for Aer Lingus Classic vs UNC

TCU football dons special clover helmets for Aer Lingus Classic vs UNC

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TCU football dons special clover helmets for Aer Lingus Classic vs UNC

TCU football has had some unique lids over the years. One of the most famous is the blood frog, but the Horned Frogs' aesthetic has seen a number of iterations. Some have been hits, others have been a bit busy. But they generally stand out.

TCU will continue that tradition in this year's Aer Lingus Classic against North Carolina in Ireland, papering a piece of its host country onto this year's Week 0 helmet. The helmet will largely retain its classic look, but the Horned Frog will be carrying a clover in its mouth, affectionally dubbed "Clover Frog."

While the reference to Ireland is obvious, college football fans will notice this is a bit of a return to form for TCU. It's a wink and a nod to the Horned Frogs' 2011 Rose Bowl helmets, which had effectively the same look but featured the logo with a rose in its mouth instead.

TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Andy Dalton (14) scores on a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers during the 2011 Rose Bowl.

Though this game may not carry that same gravity — TCU, of course, shocked Wisconsin to secure an undefeated season at a time when it was still in the Mountain West — it's a game that will have a lot of eyes on it due to a Week 0 slate that is, as usual, light on power conference matchups.

Why does TCU have a clover on its helmet in Week 0?

TCU is using the Clover Frog on its helmet due to the game being played in Ireland, a country with a deep connection to the plant. Though Ireland is associated with the shamrock a bit more often, the four-leaf clover is also closely tied to "the luck of the Irish," as it were.

The helmet is also an homage to TCU's beloved 2011 Rose Bowl helmets, in which the Horned Frog is carrying a rose in its mouth.

"In an homage to one of the greatest helmets in college football history, the 2011 Horned Frogs' Rose Bowl helmet, TCU will replace the rose with a clover for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic," the team said in a release.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TCU football dons special clover helmets for Aer Lingus Classic vs UNC

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