I am showing my age.
In years past, there were usually one or two main network television "voices" for college football. In the 1960s and early '70s, you knew it was a big game when Chris Schenkel of ABC came to town, as it was when he was in Morgantown for the WVU-Penn State game in 1972. On that telecast he made a big deal talking about the high school team nickname of Mountaineer player Bruce Huffman, a former Poca Dot.
Later it was a big game when Keith Jackson or Brent Musberger came to town with ABC, or Verne Lundquist with CBS.
Now, the landscape has changed. With so many networks and games on the web, there are dozens of broadcasters involved with college football every week.
There is no longer a need for the "next great voice" of college football. However, here are some of the most visible TV voices in college football today, and a couple have local ties.
Tim Brando: The Louisiana native has been visible as a studio host and play-by-play broadcaster since the mid-1980s. Now that he is with Fox, he is visible but rarely is involved with the biggest college game of the weekend.
Rece Davis: The University of Alabama graduate has a great passion for the history and tradition of college football. He is better as a studio host than in a play-by-play setting and has been a perfect fit to replace Chris Fowler on ESPN'S College Gameday.
Wes Durham: A former Marshall radio voice from the early 1990s, Durham is a big personality in the southeast. He was the radio voice of Georgia Tech before leaving to do ACC-TV for Fox and Root Sports. He is also the radio voice of the Atlanta Falcons. His star is on the rise.
Chris Fowler: For the most part, he is now in the position of calling the biggest game of the weekend, and no one loves the game more. He was a great ambassador for college football as the lead anchor of College Gameday.
Gus Johnson: He has a great cult following and fans love him on buzzer beaters during basketballs March Madness. He is too "loud" for me on football as he tries to make every play sound like a game-winning walk-off home run.
Beth Mowns: I like Beth. She is polarizing for many fans because she is a female. That is unfair. I have worked with Beth. I have hired Beth in the past. She is extremely talented and hard working. She is a pro's pro.
Brad Nessler: A longtime television play-by-play broadcaster, Nessler has always been a solid professional. He is a perfect choice to replace Lundquist as the lead voice on CBS. He is in a great spot to close out his career.
Dave Pasch: Like Wes Durham, Pasch also has state ties. He worked for the West Virginia Radio Corporation in Morgantown in the mid-1990s. He is so talented that you see him everywhere. He does college football, the NBA and NFL radio play-by-play. In an era of big egos in sports media, Pasch is a man of humility, class and grace.
Joe Tessitore: Like Pasch, Tessitore is good, really good. He is very popular in college football coaching and administrative circles, as well as with fans. He is a veteran, but young enough that his star is still on the rise.
Contact Frank Giardina at flg16@hotmail.com.