We are all so used to the classic green turf fields that are made to look like grass. However, some schools decided that green was a little too bland for them and chose to branch out to more unique colors. Here is a list of eight colleges that have out-of-the-ordinary turf fields.

1. SUNY Morrisville

Earlier this week, SUNY Morrisville revealed its new black turf field. This is the newest turf installment at Morrisville since 2006. Matt Grawrock, the school's athletic director, said in a statement, “We wanted to move in a bold, new direction that would give our department and student-athletes a unique identity to rally around.” This field sure is unique! Even though SUNY Morrisville is in upstate New York, the temperatures can still get pretty warm. I feel for the players who have preseason in the summer on that black turf.

2. Boise State

Boise State University cleverly nicknamed their turf field “The Blue” because of their bright blue field. The bright blue seems to be working, as Boise State football has only lost 9 games on its home field since 1999. Boise State director of trademark licensing and enforcement Rachel Bickerton said in a statement, “We consider the blue turf to be part of our identity, and we place great value on that uniqueness.” Boise State was even able to trademark the blue turf. Now, any school that wants to have a blue turf field has to go through Boise State first.

3. University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is another school with a very brightly colored blue turf field. The Division II school is not one of the top athletic programs in the country, but this turf field has made the school a little more noticeable. I'm sure it would be hard to miss this field if you were flying by on an airplane. New Haven had to go through Boise State University to get special permission to have this blue field, as Boise State had trademarked the turf color.

4. Eastern Washington University

Speaking of blinding, Eastern Washington University has a bright red turf field. This field was added in 2010 and has since earned the nickname “The Inferno.” Michael Roos, a former NFL player, and Eastern Washington alum, donated $500,000 for the turf field renovation. Regarding the bright red field, Roos said, “If you're going to do something big, why not do something recognizable?” 

5. University of Central Arkansas

The University of Central Arkansas has a purple and grey striped field…not something you see every day. The field was renovated to this color pattern in 2011, and the school has stuck with it ever since. This turf field is funky enough, but it also has the largest mascot logo on a turf field in the country. I bet even the astronauts are able to enjoy UCA's football games.

6. Luther College

Luther College may be a smaller Division III school, but it sure does have some spunk. Similar to Boise State and New Haven, Luther College also sports a blue turf field. This new field was added in 2017, and brought a lot of excitement to the school. Aaron Hafner, the head football coach at the time, said, “[The players] perked up and were clapping, whooping and hollering, jumping and high-fiving. It was a special moment to know this was going to happen.”

7. Eastern Michigan

In 2014, Eastern Michigan University debuted its new gray turf field. Talking about the new field, former athletic director Heather Lyke stated, “With the gray field being installed, we will be the only ones in the country with such a design. Most importantly, it helps us build an identity that matches the toughness of our team and connection with our community.” The concept of a gray turf came directly from the football players and coaches, and they were able to put their idea into action.

8. Coastal Carolina

I am starting to think that a blue turf maybe isn't as out-of-the ordinary as I thought, as Coastal Carolina University also has a teal-colored turf field. Athletic director Matt Hogue said of the new field, “In addition to our winning tradition, we are known nationally for our distinctive color scheme. And it's not just the color our teams wear, but a campus-wide identity. We felt this would be a great opportunity to further build that brand.” This field was finished in 2021 and cost $1.2 million.

Photo Credit: The Spokesman-Review/Boise State Athletics/SUNY Morrisville Athletics