University of Nebraska–Lincoln School Colors

University of Nebraska–Lincoln's school colors are Scarlet (#D00000) and Cream (#F5F1E7). Nebraska's brand standards define 15 colors in all; every official HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone value is listed below, along with the story of how the colors were chosen.

History of the Nebraska colors

Nebraska Athletics says the football team played its first two seasons (1890–91) as the Old Gold Knights, and a UNL blog names old gold as the school's first color. Students chose scarlet and cream in 1892, according to University Communication, and that year they became the official colors. The university also notes that the colors appear in three school songs from the early 1900s.

Sources: ucomm.unl.edu · huskers.com · unl.edu

Nebraska primary colors

Nebraska cream ink

Nebraska's university and athletics colors match on screen, but the athletics brand guide names different Pantone inks: 186 C for scarlet and 7401 C at 35% for cream, where the university specifies 4545 at 25%.

Nebraska secondary colors

Additional Nebraska palette colors

Nebraska athletics colors

Matching Nebraska colors on clothing

Clothing sold as a given color can be noticeably off from Nebraska's official values, and supplier color codes describe the dye target rather than the finished fabric. So we measured the actual fabric color of every garment we carry from product photos and fabric swatches, then compared it to Nebraska's official colors. The pieces below are the closest in-stock matches, out of 454 styles close to Scarlet.

Clothing in Scarlet #D00000

Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Scarlet, measured from the garment itself. 454 matching styles in stock.

Hoodie

LAT 6926 Unisex Elevated Fleece Hoodie Sweatshirt

Red

$29.86

Quarter-zip

C2 Sport 510200 C2 1/4 Zip Pullover

BURNT ORANGE (BA)

$19.90

Crewneck sweatshirt

LAT 6925 Unisex Elevated Fleece Crewneck Sweatshirt

Red

$22.96

Polo

Russell Athletic R10GKM Sideline Grid Polo

BURNT ORANGE

$38.00

Long sleeve tee

Rabbit Skins 4421 Infant Fine Jersey Long Sleeve Bodysuit

Red

$4.64

T-shirt

Los Angeles Apparel FF3001 Women's USA-Made 50/50 T-Shirt

Red

$10.40

Tank

Rabbit Skins 3323 Toddler Fine Jersey Tank

Red

$6.90

Shorts

Shaka Wear SHFJS Unisex Fleece Jogger Shorts

Red

$28.66

Nebraska colors: frequently asked questions

What are Nebraska school colors?

University of Nebraska–Lincoln's school colors are Scarlet (#D00000) and Cream (#F5F1E7). The official brand palette also includes Gray and Lighter Cream as primary colors, plus 11 more secondary and supporting colors.

What is the hex code for Nebraska Scarlet?

Nebraska Scarlet is #D00000 (RGB 208, 0, 0, CMYK 2, 100, 85, 6).

What is the hex code for Nebraska Cream?

Nebraska Cream is #F5F1E7 (RGB 245, 241, 231, CMYK 3, 3, 8, 0).

What Pantone color is Nebraska Scarlet?

Nebraska Scarlet is PMS 186CP.

Why are Nebraska's colors Scarlet and Cream?

Nebraska Athletics says the football team played its first two seasons (1890–91) as the Old Gold Knights, and a UNL blog names old gold as the school's first color. Students chose scarlet and cream in 1892, according to University Communication, and that year they became the official colors.

Color values are taken from the official University of Nebraska–Lincoln brand standards (source), checked October 2026. Sweatshirt Station is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Nebraska–Lincoln. We sell blank apparel in matching colors; no logos or trademarks are sold. Photos are used under their Creative Commons or public domain licenses and are credited above.

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