If you’re like me, you’ve been watching a ton of college football over the past few weekends. During those endless hours on the couch, you might’ve noticed something different about team uniforms. Several major college programs have debuted cool new jerseys, but I’m thinking about something else—thigh pads.

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Thigh pads have been the same for as long as I can remember: rectangular pieces of foam that football players slide into their pants or compression shorts to protect their upper legs. They have always been more about protection than aesthetic appeal. Until now.

Thanks to a company called treDCAL, thigh pads are getting a design upgrade. According to their website, “tredCALS are patent pending three-dimensional images that attach to athletic pads, equipment and apparel. Once attached and covered by tight-fitted clothing, a three-dimensional or holographic-like image appears.”

Thanks to treDCAL’s technology, a number of major college football teams are now wearing thigh pads that feature their school logo.

Though they look a bit cumbersome, the logo pads are apparently quite light. TredCAL’s website says they range in thickness from 2 to 5 millimeters and are made of durable closed-cell foam, which has been game-tested in college football’s best conferences.

Thus far this season, players for Illinois, Michigan, TCU and Penn State—among others—have been spotted wearing tredCAL-affixed thigh pads. They look pretty cool in action, and I’m sure the players are enjoying the fresh look. Get a closer look below:

courtesy of FightingIllini.com

Courtesy of GoPSUSports.com