The Arizona Wildcats will debut a new alternate uniform in Wednesday night's season opener against Houston Baptist. The white jersey and shorts are missing the gradient pattern that's been a distinctive, if polarizing, part of the Wildcats' uniforms in recent years.ย 

McKale Center equipment operations director Brian Brigger tweeted this photo Wednesday of the jerseys hanging in the Wildcats' lockers. The shorts, which are plain white with a diagonal stripe and block A logo, were not pictured:ย 

Later Wednesday, the UA's official athletics Twitter account posted more shots:

The alternate uniform essentially replaces the white-and-gold set that the Wildcats have worn in recent years, a UA spokesman said Wednesday afternoon. The Wildcats, you might remember, released seven different uniform combinations two years ago; four of them featured the gradient.

Arizona will continue to wear at least one white set with the gradient and both navy and red road uniforms featuring the pattern this season. The overall effect, however, is more subdued. This year's jerseys have a solid piping around the neck and arms, giving the gradient a toned-down look.

Check out the differences here, with old jerseys on the left and new ones on the right:

The UA has a gradient-less alternate uniform this season, but will also wear new jerseys with the pattern. Arizona's old white home jerseys, left; their new ones, right.

Arizona's old blue jerseys, left; their new ones, right.

Arizona's old red jerseys, left; their new ones, right.

For more on tonight's game, read Bruce Pascoe's scouting report.

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