It was a day we knew was coming, but it was still emotional to watch. Verne Lundquist called his final college football game in his career and unlike his final SEC Championship last week which turned into a blowout, his final Army-Navy game was a good one. And it also ended a 14-game losing streak for Army dating back to 2001.
Lundquist went for over two minutes waxing poetic over attending his first college football game when he was 12 years old which gave him the love for the sport through to this day. And while he was thanking his on-air partners of Jill Arrington, Tracy Wolfson, Allie LaForce, Todd Blackledge and Gary Danielson as well as the 75 men and women who have become the SEC on CBS traveling road show, he became truly emotional when he mentioned his wife, Nancy.
It was a farewell befitting of a career that dates back to the 1960’s:
Verne signs off from college football one final time. pic.twitter.com/HKWeh84Pp8
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 10, 2016
In addition to his farewell, Verne received plenty of tributes before and during the game. The athletic directors of Army and Navy gave Verne some swag for his eight years of calling Army-Navy on CBS:
Verne’s final college football stop has featured warm greetings and #ArmyNavy honors.https://t.co/r4ghZc19o5
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 10, 2016
There was a halftime interview with President-Elect Donald Trump:
Here's the President-elect throwing shade at the quality of service academy football pic.twitter.com/lEjlLTN4W1
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) December 10, 2016
And just before the 4th quarter, Danielson tried to make his partner cry on the air:
He also received a tribute from Wolfson who now works on the NFL on CBS:
It was honor to work alongside the best in the business for so many years. No one better. pic.twitter.com/TWyLbVq4vY
— Tracy Wolfson (@tracywolfson) December 10, 2016
Overall, college football Saturdays won’t the same. Luckily, we’ll still have Verne on The Masters and the NCAA Tournament for the foreseeable future.
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