Relive Keith Jackson’s greatest calls from college football
The world lost one of the greatest broadcasters to ever live with the passing of Keith Jackson. To remember his legacy, here’s a sampling of his greatest calls.
Keith Jackson died on Friday night at the age of 89. For more than half a century, Jackson was the voice of college football and his pipes provided the soundtrack for many of the game’s most memorable plays and games. Not only was Jackson the voice of college football, he was also a broadcaster for the NFL on Monday Night Football and called World Series Games, including Reggie Jackson’s three-home run game for the New York Yankees.
For many young sports fans like myself, when you got to hear Jackson’s voice on the telecast, you knew you were about to see a great game with Jackson keeping you company for the next three-plus hours. Whether it was another Ohio State-Michigan game in November or The Granddaddy of Them All, you knew it would be better with Jackson on the call.
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The first time I remember hearing Jackson on the call for a game was the 1991 game between Ohio State and Michigan that clinched the Heisman Trophy for Michigan’s Desmond Howard.
Hello, Heisman!
Three years later, it was another Michigan game that served as a legendary moment for Jackson. I still remember watching this game with my dad and my brothers and being in disbelief when Michael Westbrook came down with the Hail Mary from Kordell Stewart.
It was only fitting that the greatest college football broadcaster to ever live would have the pleasure of presiding over the call of the greatest college football game I’ve ever seen. The 2005 BCS National Championship Game between USC and Texas was an all-timer. An instant classic. And it was better for having Jackson on the call for the game-winning touchdown by Texas quarterback Vince Young.
He’s going for the corner…He’s got it!
That was the last game of Jackson’s legendary career and it’s fitting he would go out on top with a call that will be replayed every year the championship game is played. Jackson left the world on Friday but his calls, his legacy and his memory will never leave the people he touched for so many years as the voice of college football.
May he rest in peace.