Over the summer, Illinois football coach Bret Bielema told Brad Nessler about the school’s plans to celebrate Memorial Stadium’s 100th anniversary with an homage to Illini great Red Grange. He described replica uniforms and helmets painted to appear like those worn in that era.
Nessler, CBS Sports’ top college football play-by-play voice, loves the history of the sport, and he told Bielema that he hoped to be there. About a month ago, Bielema texted Nessler to ask when Nessler’s crew would call an Illinois game. Nessler replied, “When you get good enough.”
Last week, Nessler texted Bielema, “Hey, man, you’re good enough.”
The Illini got good enough just in time for Nessler to experience what will be a special day in Champaign. Nessler, analyst Gary Danielson and reporter Jenny Dell will have the call when No. 22 Illinois hosts No. 24 Michigan at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m so excited for this,” Nessler, 68, said this week from his home in Atlanta. “I’m sitting her smiling talking to you right now.”
Nessler hopes to take in the surrounding events, which commemorate Grange’s historic performance in Memorial Stadium’s dedication game against Michigan on Oct. 18, 1924, when he totaled six touchdowns and 400 yards in the Illini’s 39-14 victory.
CBS has big plans of its own to mark the occasion.
“I can’t tell you what it is right now,” Nessler said, “but we’re going to do something at the beginning of the game that I think is going to be pretty unique and fans are going to be a little bit shocked.”
The broadcast also will mark CBS Sports’ first visit to Memorial Stadium since Oct. 29, 1983, when No. 9 Illinois beat – who else? – No. 8 Michigan 16-6 on its way to the Rose Bowl.
It hasn’t been that long since Nessler’s last visit, though it has been awhile. He remembers calling a game in Champaign with former quarterback Juice Williams, who played from 2006 to ’09. Nessler also called Illinois’ 28-21 upset of No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus in 2007 for ABC.
That was during his 24-year run at ESPN. Nessler returned to CBS, where he worked from 1990 to ’92, in 2016. The next year, he replaced Verne Lundquist as the lead voice on SEC games. When the SEC moved to ESPN and CBS picked up the Big Ten this year, Nessler had to reacquaint himself with the conference.
“I thought it would be harder than it has been,” Nessler said. “I think it’s because of all the connections I’ve made over the years. I’ve known [Iowa coach] Kirk Ferentz since he was an assistant for the Cleveland Browns when I was at CBS the first time. I’ve known Bret Bielema since he was an assistant at Wisconsin. I’ve known [Penn State coach] James Franklin since he was at Vandy. The coaches help a lot.”
The crew does, too. Nessler called Big Ten games with Danielson at ESPN from 1992 to ’97. And Nessler’s producer at CBS, Craig Silver, also was his producer during his first stint at the network. (Nessler’s first partner at CBS was former Bears offensive lineman Dan Jiggetts.)
Nessler said the biggest change has been away from the stadium. Living in Atlanta, he often didn’t have to fly home after calling SEC games. With the Big Ten spanning the country, that convenience is gone.
“Getting up for Sunday morning flights or taking red-eyes from USC and Oregon, that’s the life-alerting part,” said Nessler, who will call the Illinois-Oregon game in Eugene next week. “I never expected over a one-month stretch that I would be doing three Big Ten games on the West Coast. It’s fun and it’s new, and I think it rejuvenates me as a new challenge.”
Nessler said Illinois’ challenge against Michigan will be containing the Wolverines’ terrific defensive line. But he said quarterback Luke Altmyer could level the field.
“Luke’s come so far. That’s the biggest improvement in them, the quarterback play,” Nessler said. “When you get good quarterback play, you have a really good chance to beat anybody.”