Gus Johnson’s MarShawn Lloyd TD call was as sad as it could possibly be

Once again, Deion Sanders and Colorado found themselves playing in FOX’s “Big Noon” slot, in a game that the network has billed the “Biggest Game of the Year”. With that comes the announcer team of Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.

Their opponent, the USC Trojans, opened the game with an absolutely mechanical drive, nickel-and-diming their way down the field before an electric touchdown run from Marshawn Lloyd.

Johnson, the play-by-play announcer known for his bombastic, enthusiastic touchdown calls, couldn’t have sounded less excited for the Lloyd score.

It wasn’t just us that picked this up. Plenty of fans all over Twitter noticed Johnson’s lack of enthusiasm in calling the touchdown tote.

It’s not uncommon for a play-by-play man to take a minimalist approach and let the crowd noise tell the story, but this is Gus Johnson, and this is a touchdown from the visiting team. It’s rare that Johnson takes this approach, and the Buffalo crowd wasn’t exactly pumped about the Trojan touchdown.

The Coach Prime effect

It’s no secret that Colorado has been a massive ratings win for networks this season, and this is the third Buffalo game already that Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt have called for FOX in 2023. This has led fans to the conclusion that Johnson has a strong bias towards Colorado, one he just can’t hide.

As this game continues to play out, eight and nine-yard gains from Colorado have elicited a bigger reaction from Johnson than that absurd touchdown run from Marshawn Lloyd, so it’s not an unreasonable conclusion to draw.

Gus Johnson is one of the most beloved play-by-play guys in the sport, so this growing sentiment against him is certainly new. It’s tough to fault him for his excitement surrounding Colorado and Coach Prime, but objectivity and neutrality are the expectation for someone in his position.