Legendary College Football Announcer Keith Jackson Passes Away at 89 Posted Jan 13, 2018 Keith Jackson, widely regarded as the voice of college football by several generations, died Friday night. He was 89. Jackson spent some 50 years calling the action in a folksy, down-to-earth manner that made him one of the most popular personalities in the business. He was credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl "The Granddaddy of Them All" and Michigan's stadium "The Big House." (ESPN.com)