Sweet 16
Alas, VCU's farcical run comes to an end. Why do we hate it so? The horn is underwhelming. It's awkward to have a 3-dimensional object morphing into a 2-dimensional object, and maybe that's why the horn itself feels more like a ribbon. Additionally, the horn element feels sort of finesse, and that type is a stark contrast. We've gushed plenty over Colorado's logo in the previous two rounds, so its advancement should not be surprising.
Winner: Colorado
The committee's love of inline fonts has been documented, but Ohio State takes it a bit far. The font is incredibly condensed, and this drastically reduces legibility. The 'S' within the negative of the 'O' is a nice touch, but the gray strokes stop rather arbitrarily. The Colonel has a nice amount of detail without being difficult to reproduce.
Winner: Eastern Kentucky
It's fun to look at the Chanticleer, but the Spartan head is something that little kids (one of our judges, in particular) sit at their desks and try to replicate. Er, maybe that's only if you grow up to be a designer. Anyway, the simple sophistication of Michigan State's logo just has to advance.
Winner: Michigan State
We're deep enough into this tournament that it's appropriate to comment on things like the excessively wide kerning on the word "Friars" and the strange ledge from the bottom of the P to the box containing the nickname. It's still a solid logo, and there is a unique mystery about that Franciscan mystic. But you've got to work out the details if you hope to advance. Villanova benefits here from remaining simple.
Winner: Villanova
It's as good a time as any to point out that, while the Bison is solid, it doesn't look that much like a real buffalo/bison. The type is still great, but the haunch should be bigger and the face darker. It's the second-best bison logo of this stage, and that's no small feat. I guess. I mean, it's not a huge feat, either. Again, we see a unique letterform beating a highly illustrative, modern logo. Could it be a trend?
Winner: Arizona
At this point, Creighton's logo is winning in spite of its 'C' and not because of it. In fact, it's basically an italicized version of the UConn font that we previously derided. That's the level of admiration we have for the Blue Jay. Kudos to the O omitting superfluous strokes and bevels - it just lacks the flash and panache (that rhymed) of Creighton's oh-so-new logo. Seriously, this bad boy was only unveiled in October.
Winner: Creighton
If you aren't from Kansas, you might not realize that the Wheat Man is a redrawn version of a rather old logo. And even that logo is a redrawn version of a very, very old logo. While teams like North Carolina State and Wisconsin have shied away from their varsity-rah-rah logos of the '70s and '80s, Wichita State opted to clean it up, simplify it and prepare for a bright future. What does this have to do with this particular matchup? Not a ton, I guess. Louisville's logo still has a vintage feel, and the university should be commended for sticking with it. It's just less fun, less interesting and less unique than Wichita State.
Winner: Wichita State
Two easily-identifiable, one-color logos. Iconic and timeless, you'd expect them to be contenders every year. The Longhorn just feels more…important. It's like you could draw it in chalk the way the citizens of Gotham City drew the Batman symbol in The Dark Knight Rises. Probably.
Winner: Texas