EL PASO, Texas – The Hyundai Sun Bowl and CBS Sports announced the talent for the 85th Annual Hyundai Sun Bowl, which is set for Monday, Dec. 31 with kick-off set for 12 p.m. (MT).
Brad Nessler is handling the play-by-play while Gary Danielson is the color-analyst. Nessler and Danielson have worked the Hyundai Sun Bowl together twice before (2016 and 2017) while this will be Danielson’s 10th Sun Bowl football game. Jamie Erdahl is working her first Hyundai Sun Bowl game as the sideline reporter.
“We are very lucky to have some of the best announcers cover our game each year,” said Sun Bowl Association Executive Director Bernie Olivas. “Gary Danielson worked many games with Sun Bowl Legend Verne Lundquist. This announcing crew has covered some big games this year and to have them here at the Sun Bowl is a great way to end the year.”
The trio covered many games out of the SEC, including the SEC Championship which featured Georgia falling to Alabama. Nessler, Danielson and Erdahl also worked the Army-Navy game on Saturday, Dec. 8 in Philadelphia.
The 85th Annual Hyundai Sun Bowl will be televised on CBS for the 51st consecutive year.
ABOUT THE CBS ANNOUNCERS
Brad Nessler
Brad Nessler is a college football and college basketball play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. In May 2016, Nessler was named the lead play-by-play announcer for the SEC ON CBS beginning with the 2017 season. He is teamed up with Gary Danielson and Jamie Erdahl calling the “SEC Game of the Week.” Nessler previously worked for CBS Sports from 1990-92 on college football, NFL as well as men’s and women’s basketball, including the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship game. He also was the network’s host for speed skating coverage at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France. Before returning to CBS Sports, Nessler had an illustrious 24-year career at ESPN. From 1992-97, he called college basketball games and Big Ten football. Beginning in 1997, Nessler served as an analyst for ABC for various sports and events including college basketball, the Bowl Championship Series title game and most prominently with college football. From 2002-04, he served as an announcer for ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the National Basketball Association. After ESPN began its coverage of Monday Night Football in 2006, Nessler served as a contributor calling games between 2006-11. During his time at ESPN, he also called the ESPN College Football Primetime game on Saturday nights and the College Football Playoff semifinals. In addition to his various ESPN assignments, Nessler also served as play-by-play announcer for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football package on NFL Network from 2011-13.
Nessler began his professional broadcasting career as a play-by-play radio announcer for WGST-AM in Atlanta, Ga. from 1980-85. Throughout his time with WGST, Nessler served as a play-by-play announcer for Georgia Tech basketball and later the Atlanta Falcons. Following his assignments with WGST, Nessler served as a radio play-by play announcer for various National Football League teams, including the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins. A graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, Nessler now resides in Duluth, Ga. with his wife, Nancy.
Gary Danielson
Gary Danielson, a 13-year National Football League veteran and former Purdue University quarterback, joined CBS Sports as lead analyst for the CBS Television Network’s coverage of college football in 2006. He is teamed with Brad Nessler and Jamie Erdahl calling the “SEC Game of the Week.” Danielson joined CBS Sports after having served as analyst for ABC Sports for the nine years (1997-2005). Since 1991, he served as an analyst for ESPN’s college football broadcasts. Before joining ABC Sports, Danielson provided analysis for the Detroit Lions preseason football games.
After playing for three teams in the World Football League from 1974-75 (New York Stars, Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Wind), Danielson signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent in 1976. He became the third all-time leading passer in Lions history. In 1985, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns where he spent four seasons before retiring in 1988. During his 13-year NFL career, Danielson passed for 13,764 yards.
Danielson was a part-time anchor/reporter at WDIV-TV (Detroit) during the off-season while a member of the Lions. And in Cleveland, he also co-hosted a sports talk show. A 1973 graduate of Purdue University, Danielson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Management, and earned a Master’s degree in Physical Education from Purdue in 1976. He is married, with four children.
Jamie Erdahl
Jamie Erdahl joined CBS Sports in 2014. In 2018, she was named the lead SEC ON CBS reporter alongside Gary Danielson and Brad Nessler. Erdahl also is a reporter for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and regular-season college basketball games on CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network. She also serves as an analyst for select women’s college basketball games on CBS Sports Network. Prior to being named the lead SEC ON CBS reporter, Erdahl spent three years as a sideline reporter for The NFL ON CBS. In 2018, she was a major part of the CBS SPORTS HQ launch, appearing as an anchor for the 24/7 sports news outlet. Erdahl joined CBS from NESN where she worked as a rinkside reporter for the Boston Bruins. She also covered the Boston Red Sox and served as host of NESN Sports Today.
Erdahl played basketball and softball at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, before transferring to American University, from which she graduated with a degree in communications. She currently resides in Philadelphia, Pa.