Purdue to Honor Gary Danielson During Saturday's Game vs. USC
In this story:
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Gary Danielson, a longtime college football broadcaster and a member of Purdue's Cradle of Quarterbacks, is returning to West Lafayette this weekend. With the former Boiler in town, Purdue plans to honor him in a special way at halftime.
Danielson, who has been a college football broadcaster for more than 30 years, has announced that the 2025 season will be his last on the microphone. Purdue wants to honor its former quarterback, and will do so at halftime of Saturday's Big Ten opener against USC.
"Stick around at the start of halftime tomorrow as we honor Gary Danielson, a member of the Cradle of Quarterbacks and one of college football's greatest voices," Purdue's post read.
One of the best to ever do it 🎤🏈
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) September 12, 2025
Stick around at the start of halftime tomorrow as we honor Gary Danielson, a member of the Cradle of Quarterbacks and one of college football's greatest voices. pic.twitter.com/MxeZBVPnH5
Danielson played at Purdue from 1970-72 and was an excellent quarterback for the Boilermakers. In 1971, he led the Big Ten with 1,467 passing yards and completed 61.7% of his passes, setting a conference record at the time.
Following his time at Purdue, Danielson enjoyed a 13-year NFL career, playing for the Detroit Lions (1976-84) and Cleveland Browns (1985-88). He totaled more than 13,000 passing yards and 81 touchdowns during his professional career.
Danielson dives into college football broadcasting
In 1990, Danielson joined ESPN's college football coverage as a college football analyst. He remained with the network before eventually switching to ABC, where he teamed up with Brent Musburger.
Following the 2005 college football season, Danielson was hired by CBS, where he provided longtime coverage of the SEC alongside play-by-play voice Verne Lundquist. He has remained with the network since that time.
In 2023, CBS Sports dropped the SEC from its broadcast coverage and began a new journey with the Big Ten. Danielson made a return to Ross-Ade Stadium in 2024, when Purdue hosted Notre Dame.
As of now, Saturday's game against USC is Purdue's only scheduled game to air on CBS, although this could change as more TV designations and kickoff times are announced throughout the year.
Related stories on Purdue football
BOILERS DROP HYPE VIDEO: Purdue has released a hype video for Saturday afternoon's Big Ten clash against USC. The Boilermakers and Trojans have not played since the 1998 season. CLICK HERE
ODOM APPRECIATIVE OF STUDENT SECTION: Not every football program gets tremendous support from its students. Barry Odom has been thoroughly impressed with the Ross-Ade Brigade at Purdue this year. CLICK HERE
BTN PERSONALITIES IMPRESSED BY PURDUE: Before the season started, nobody knew what to expect from Purdue. The Boilers have only been two games, but they've already impressed some BTN personalities. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin