Gallery: The Best NCAA Conference Logos

Image via Complex Original

College football kicks off this week, making it no worse than any other time to present a selection of top conference logos. Graphic design in college sports rarely matches the level of play. Sometimes, the decisions made are simply baffling. Other times, the resulting icons are probably just the best case scenario.

A few conference logos stand above the rest in the NCAA's storied history.

In honor of the newly enlarged Big Ten and Pac-12, here are the twelve most interesting logos in NCAA sports history.

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Mountain West Conference 

The Mountain West Conference was founded in 1999. Now including football phenomon Boise State, the conference hopes to enjoy years of success of the gridiron. Unfortunately, expansion resulted in desire for a new logo, a horrid "M W" mashup that is more appropriate for c-grade cable television.

Unfortunately, the redesign left this logo behind. A very turn of the millennium graphic, for sure, but still one that indicated geographic location and paid homage to the rough terrain member schools enjoyed. As such, one of the better conference logos in NCAA history.

Empire 8 Conference 

We dig deep for NCAA logos. And, by deep, we mean into Division III. There is no powerhouse football played in the Empire Conference, but so what. The logo is still better than anything the SWAC has to offer. We also like that a relatively minor conference full of schools nobody has ever heard of (St. John Fisher College?) celebrates itself with the majesty of a burning torch. 

Pacific-12 Conference  

Formerly the Pac-10, the newly bolstered Pac-12 boasts one of the few decent new conference logos. Dynamic, and with a little Northwest coast hint, the logo plays nicely to the mountain vs. ocean interplay of the schools involved.

We miss the days of good old fashioned Pac-10 vs. Big Ten Rose Bowl clashes, but we're not too mad at the graphic identity that's come after expansion.

New England Football Conference 

This logo is so good. It reminds of really good stuff, like Public Enemy, and nicely links to the old-timer belief that football is exactly like war.

Central Collegiate Hockey Association 

Who understands college hockey? Who watches it? Is Lake Superior a real academic institution?

These are all valid questions. Also valid is our enjoyment of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association logo. Does what it needs to do and with the pace of the game it represents.

Peach Belt Conference 

Second of three non-football playing conferences we're celebrating. The only Division II logo we like. Home to, we'd like to add, an astounding number of bizarre school logos as well. (Search University of North Carolina at Pembroke). And, finally, honorable for steadfast belief that using a piece of fruit as keynote of a logo is solid idea. 

Skyline Conference 

Again, no football here. Instead, a distinct love of New York City rendered in a fashion not unlike that utilized by the Skyline Chili (of Cincinnati, Ohio) logo. Three cheers for Division III sports, and for the Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins (they need support, they have the worst mascot in college sports). 

Atlantic Coast Conference 

Founded in 1953, ACC schools compete in twenty-five sports in Division 1. The ACC football champion receives an automatic bid to one of the Bowl Championship Series games, and we're all aware of the conference's stature on the hardwood.

The logo places to the geographic location of the conference with grace. A simple color scheme allows plotting exact schools along the Eastern seaboard and the typographic choice suggests refinement. It's about as strong a logo as one can find in sports.

The Centennial Conference

There's one odd thing about this logo. Yes, it is the part that says "est. 1992." And, yes, the date is correct. Still, the logo's charm is that it appears to have been designed under candlelight. Wes Moore, a former Johns Hopkins wide out, featured on a recent cover of TIME Magazine. Needless to say, that's the biggest moment in the conference's gridiron history. 

Southwest Conference 

Now defunct, the Southwest Conference had a tremendous logo. The awkward employment of state icons (note that it really was just Texas, rather than much of the Southwest), and fanciful lettering match up only because the spirit is right.

The conference disbanded in 1996, after 82 years of friendly on-field battle. You see some football powerhouses in the alumni list (notably, almost every school in Texas). You'll also note the conference laid seeds for the Big 12.

Southeastern Conference 

The SEC is a power conference and has a powerful logo to match. Not much description needed here. The SEC has ruled since the BCS era began. And, the logo packs the appropriate punch. 

Big Ten Conference 

The granddaddy of all athletic conferences, the Big Ten was founded way back in 1896. Now boasting 12 members (don't forget Nebraska joins the fold in 2011), the league plays host to a handful of gridiron powerhouses.

Used from 1990 to 2011, the most recognizable of the Big Ten logs smartly disguised the number "11" in the negative space of "Big Ten" lettering. A smartly conceived way of making mention of Penn State (then the eleventh member). Some people may downplay the design, but few sporting enterprises manage to both celebrate tradition and innovation so seamlessly.