44 years ago today, Pat Summerall and John Madden called a Division-III college football game.
Wittenberg vs. Baldwin-Wallace
October 3, 1982
During the fall of '82, in the second week of the NFLPA's 57-day players' strike, CBS needed to get creative with its Sunday afternoon programming.
So on October 3, the network sent its top NFL broadcast team of Pat Summerall and John Madden to Springfield, Ohio to call Division-III Wittenberg's game against its rival Baldwin-Wallace — each school with an enrollment then of about 2,000 students.
Three other NFL on CBS broadcast teams were also assigned to call Division-III games that weekend.
Wittenberg, Baldwin-Wallace, and the Ohio Athletic Conference were each paid $10,000 for the game.
The video includes the CBS open and pregame introduction by Pat and John, the first several minutes of the game, and select highlights from this historic CBS broadcast.
A very rare and fascinating telecast — and quite a thrill for those players, coaches, students, and communities.
Practically unprecedented.
The @Browns have won three straight games by four points or less for the first time since 1979 & the third time (1976) since the merger.
Said it on Sunday of Day 3 during this year’s draft (and distinctly remember saying, “I can’t believe I’m saying this”); no team in the NFL has had a better two-yr draft run than the Browns. Check this out 👇
If you’re surprised by the young players for the Browns being a big part of this year’s turnaround, you shouldn’t be.
The Browns graded out as having the best drafts the last two seasons.
For the first time since 2020, the @Browns have scored 21+ points during every contest of a three-game winning streak on the way taking over sole possession of the AFC North for the initial occasion since 2014!
#Browns K Andre Szmyt was asked to hit a 56-yard FG for the win—longer than any of the kicks he's made in the NFL.
And still, his team had no doubt he'd deliver.
"That's my kicker."
"I love him."
"It's automatic. Holy Sh—"
"Best kicker in the league."
"I knew it was money."