Who Are the Announcers for Nevada vs Penn State Week 1 College Football Game?

Beaver Stadium is set to open the 2025 season with a matchup that feels like a serious heavyweight stepping into the ring against a program still trying to find its footing. Penn State, a CFP contender loaded on both sides of the ball, welcomes a Nevada team in the middle of a massive rebuild. James Franklin’s Nittany Lions are coming off a year in which they averaged over 33 points per game while boasting a defense ranked in the nation’s top 20. In Happy Valley, the bar isn’t just about winning anymore—it’s about chasing a national title.

For Nevada, meanwhile, the challenge is simply finding stability. After finishing 3-10 last year and flipping more than 50 players on its roster, the Wolf Pack enters this one as monumental underdogs. When fans tune in for the Week 1 clash, they’ll hear some familiar voices guiding the broadcast. Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Jenny Dell are back on the call for CBS, handling play-by-play, color commentary, and sideline reporting, respectively.

Nessler, a CBS veteran since the early ‘90s who made stops at ESPN, ABC, and even the NFL Network before returning in 2016, brings a polished yet energetic style to the booth. Danielson, the former NFL quarterback turned longtime analyst, has been a CBS staple since 2006 after earlier years with ESPN. Dell, meanwhile, rounds out the team with her sideline presence, adding the details and atmosphere that make big games feel even bigger.

Penn State’s storylines will center around quarterback Drew Allar, who enters his third season as a starter. Allar has already shown flashes of what makes him special, throwing for 3,327 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024. The big question is consistency in marquee matchups—if Allar can make the leap from talented to dominant, Penn State’s playoff hopes could become reality. He’s not just the headliner; he’s the tone-setter for a team chasing history.

On the other sideline, Nevada faces a mountain that looks as steep as the Happy Valley backdrop itself. Head coach Jeff Choate is tasked with building a team that returns just one defensive starter, and he’s doing it while integrating a wave of over 50 new players. For a program that has never beaten a Big Ten opponent on the road, Saturday’s trip isn’t just about scoreboard results—it’s about measuring progress against one of the best.

Kickoff is locked in for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with Penn State looking to start its season by flexing its muscle in front of the home crowd.

Nevada vs. Penn State: prediction and pick

This matchup feels less like a coin toss and more like a sledgehammer meeting a paper wall. Penn State enters 2025 with one of the deepest and most balanced rosters in college football, and it shows in the line. The Nittany Lions can score in bunches, but just as importantly, they know how to choke the life out of an opponent defensively. That combo makes them dangerous from the first snap to the final whistle.

The ground game is where the gap could get downright ugly. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen form one of the most explosive running back duos in the nation, and they’re about to square up against a Nevada defense that surrendered nearly 400 yards per game last season. That’s like tossing chum in the water and hoping the sharks take it easy. Spoiler: they won’t.

On the other side, Jim Knowles’ defense—already a top-20 unit in 2024—just got deeper and more aggressive. That spells trouble for Chubba Purdy and a Wolf Pack offense still searching for rhythm. The verdict? Lay the 44.5 with confidence.