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Keith Jackson, the college football legend and a titan of broadcast television, has died at the age of 89, per his family.
Jackson’s broadcasting career spanned five decades for ABC, and he was the first play-by-play broadcaster for Monday Night Football. Known for his, “Whoa, Nellie!”, Jackson was part of countless memories for college football — and Big Ten — fans.
A favorite memory for many Illini fans, Jackson was on the call for Nick Anderson’s buzzer-beating jumper over Bob Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers.
RIP Keith Jackson. Will be forever remembered as the voice of college football, but Illini fans will remember him for this innnncrrrredible call: pic.twitter.com/ZwB8LbY5Ps
— Robert (@ALionEye) January 13, 2018
Here’s Jackson reading Grantland Rice’s poem about Red Grange for FightingIllini.com in 2014, 90 years after Grange’s infamous game versus Michigan.
If you could think of other Keith Jackson announcing Illinois highlights, let us know!