FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State will wear a new, alternate green football helmet in Saturday's annual Harvest Bowl game against Western Illinois.  The "harvest helmet" will be worn in combination with NDSU's yellow jersey and green pants.
 
The matte green helmet features the traditional Bison logo decal in yellow on both sides.  As a nod to NDSU's agricultural roots as the state's land-grant institution, the top of the helmet features a strip of yellow wheat spikes matching those in the university seal.
 
Approximately 50 alumni and football program supporters donated to fund the helmets.  NDSU plans to wear them once or twice each season while keeping its traditional yellow helmet for most games.
 
NDSU has worn yellow helmets since the early 1960s.  The standing bison with NDSU on its side was introduced as the helmet logo in 1964 under second-year head coach Darrell Mudra.  The snorting bison designed by former player Pete Lana was on the helmets from 1978-1998.  The current logo was designed in 1999 and revised in 2012.