Original
Black. Silver. Gold.
A historical palette gives this concept an Iowa State connection beyond its resemblance to other teams.
An independent rebranding proposal
Same roots.
New storm.
The Iowa State Tornadoes. Black and silver. A trace of gold. A bold next chapter built from the university’s own beginnings.
EXPLORE THE PROPOSAL ↗A CONCEPT BY PAUL STOKSTAD · NOT AN OFFICIAL ISU INITIATIVE
ROOTED IN IOWA STATE HISTORYBLACK + SILVER FIRSTCY BELONGS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER
A powerful name for Iowa State teams
A force of nature.
All Iowa.
Tornadoes is a strong name for Iowa State teams: fierce, unmistakable, and rooted in the landscape we call home.
Yes, tornadoes are destructive and sometimes violent. Their raw power gives the name its competitive edge: speed, intensity, and a force opponents must reckon with. As an athletic identity, Tornadoes channels that energy into determined play and a team that commands attention. The name belongs to the whole Iowa State athletic program. Powerful. Uncompromising. All Iowa.
01 / The roots
A new look.
An old connection.
Iowa State already has the foundation for a striking black-and-silver identity in its original school colors.
The university’s historical record identifies gold, silver, and black as its original palette. Cardinal and gold replaced those colors in 1899, when the original combination proved difficult to reproduce on athletic sweaters.
The proposal brings that early palette forward with a different balance: black and silver lead; gold appears only as a small heritage detail. It is a return to a historical starting point, interpreted for today.
1895
The Cyclones name takes hold.
A Chicago newspaper’s storm metaphor after the Northwestern game became part of Iowa State’s athletic identity.
1899
Cardinal and gold.
The color change created the familiar identity generations of Iowa State fans have known.
02 / The visual identity
Black and silver.
With gold in the details.
The Oakland Raiders’ classic black-and-silver palette is the visual starting point.
The concept draws inspiration from that stark, recognizable color combination, then gives it an Iowa State identity through the Tornadoes name, a new storm emblem, and the university’s original palette. Gold remains a small heritage accent.
BLACK / PRIMARY
SILVER / PRIMARY
GOLD / ACCENT
- Black jerseys with clear silver numbers.
- Silver helmets with a bold tornado emblem.
- White road uniforms with black-and-silver detail.
- Gold reserved for a small mark or fine accent.
The balance matters: this should read as black and silver, avoiding a dominant black-and-gold look associated with Iowa.
03 / The name
Make the storm
more specific.
“Tornadoes” makes the familiar funnel-cloud image immediate.
“Cyclone” has a broader meteorological meaning: a circulation around low pressure. A tornado is a specific rotating column of air in contact with the ground. Historical popular usage sometimes blurred those terms; there is no single transition year this proposal claims.
Changing the name would be a choice about identity and communication, not a correction of Iowa State’s history. “Tornadoes” carries the storm tradition forward with a more specific name and a strong visual symbol.
04 / Keep Cy in the story
A familiar face.
A new uniform.
Keep red Cy as a nod to the past, but put him in the Tornadoes uniform—with a Storm option for designated events.
Cy keeps his familiar cardinal-red feathers and personality while wearing the new black-and-silver Tornadoes uniform. For designated games and special events, a black-and-silver “Storm Cy” treatment offers an alternate look. Red Cy remains the everyday mascot and the link to Iowa State’s past.
Suggested stadium cheer
NEW CHEER, TO THE DEVO TUNE OF WHIP IT!
[Verse 1]
Crack the line
Start the play
Storm is building up today
When a rival comes along
You must rip it!
[Chorus]
The tornadoes come along, they will rip it!
Rip it good!
Shape it up
Straighten it out
Leave no doubt
Now rip it!
Into shape
Drive it straight
It’s not too late
To rip it!
Rip it good!
[Verse 2]
When the defense starts to break
Take the ground that you can take
When the victory's on the line
You must rip it!
[Chorus]
The tornadoes come along, they will rip it!
Rip it good!
Shape it up
Straighten it out
Leave no doubt
Now rip it!
Into shape
Drive it straight
It’s not too late
To rip it!
Rip it good!
[Bridge]
(Heavy stadium drum solo with crowd chanting: Go! Tornadoes! Go!)
Rip it!
Storm warning in the sky!
Rip it!
Watch the Black and Silver fly!
[Outro]
When a touchdown's what you need
You must rip it!
We will rip it!
Tornadoes rip it good!
05 / The proposal
Start a conversation.
Explore the possibility.
This is a public call to consider the Iowa State Tornadoes: a name, palette, and visual identity rooted in the university’s past and designed for its future.
Questions or feedback? Contact Paul Stokstad at paul@stokstad.com.
Invite the Iowa State community.
Students, alumni, athletes, and fans should have a voice. Begin with discussion and concept feedback.
Explore a heritage uniform first.
A black-and-silver alternate with a subtle gold detail could test the visual direction before a larger decision.
Develop the name and Cy together.
Compare the Tornadoes concept with the existing identity. Keep red Cy in the Tornadoes uniform as the primary mascot, with Storm Cy reserved for designated events.
If you like this idea: here's how to run with it (I'm just the idea guy)
Share the proposal with the Iowa State Daily, the Ames Tribune, alumni communities, and Iowa State Athletics. Check each outlet’s current submission process before sending.
Historical notes & sources