TCU has a pretty weird explanation for its new alternate uniforms

In the weird, wide world of college football alternates, TCU's new uniforms barely even register. We've seen all-over gator scales, tributes to World War II gunships, and even a hideous New York Yankees hybrid, so no, the TCUnis the Horned Frogs will don for their homecoming showdown with Texas on Saturday aren't even the tip of the crazy-berg. Sure, they're a little ugly, but in a normal, 18-year-old-boys-probably-dig-them sort of way (see: Oregon).

You get the picture. It's TCU ... WITH RED! Things take a turn for the bizarro world, however, with TCU's explanation for its new Nike threads. According to Uniswag, as part of the team's current "backs against the wall" mantra, the blood-red accents on the jerseys, helmet, gloves, and pants symbolize the actual horned frog's ability to spit blood from its eyes as a last-ditch defense mechanism when corned by a predator. Yes, this is a real thing.

In addition to plasma-spitting face-mask and blood-dipped gloves, the uniforms also feature midnight black horned frog spikes around the collar. Beware insects and other small invertebrates who wander here!

Perhaps the weirdest part of this Steve Irwin-approved stunt, though, is that TCU is pretty much admitting it sucks right now. The Frogs are sitting at 3-3, 1-2 in the Big 12. It's a down year for Gary Patterson's program, and by likening themselves to a desperate amphibian scrapping for its life, they're pretty much copping to that. In the immortal words of Pepper Brooks, that's a bold move, Cotton, let's see how it works out for them.