A Fond Farewell: Lee Corso's Legendary Run on College GameDay

Lee Corso, the iconic ESPN broadcaster and former coach, has left an indelible mark on college football. After entertaining fans for 38 seasons on College GameDay, Corso has retired, making his final headgear pick on the show. His departure marks the end of an era for the program and college football fans across the nation.

A Career Spanning Decades

Corso's journey with ESPN began in 1987, following a 28-year coaching career at the college and professional levels. He led programs at Louisville (1969-72), Indiana (1973-82), Northern Illinois (1984), and the USFL’s Orlando Renegades (1985). Transitioning from the sidelines to the broadcast booth, Corso brought his unique perspective and passion for the game to a wider audience. He is the only original College GameDay personality still with the show. (He was a contributor in 1987-88 and joined as an analyst in 1989). Alongside host Chris Fowler and Craig James, Corso was part of College GameDay’s first-ever road show on November 13, 1993 as No. 2 Notre Dame hosted No. 1 Florida State in the ‘Game of the Century’.

The Headgear Tradition

Corso's weekly end-of-show pick during GameDay’s Saturday Selections became a beloved college football tradition. It all started on October 5, 1996, when he donned Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye mascot head in Columbus, Ohio. For nearly three decades, Corso surprised and delighted fans with his headgear choices, adding an element of fun and unpredictability to the show. Entering his final headgear pick, Corso made over 430 career picks and holds a career winning percentage of 66.5%. During Corso’s coast-to-coast travels with College GameDay, he has entertained crowds on more than 70 campuses and other game sites and made headgear picks spanning 69 different teams.

More Than Just Headgear

While the headgear picks are what he is most known for, Corso's contributions to College GameDay extended far beyond that. He coined the memorable catchphrase, “Not so fast, my friend!” while holding his signature Dixon Ticonderoga No. 2 pencil. He became synonymous with College GameDay and college football Saturdays, as he delivered some all-time moments throughout the years by mixing in his signature "Not so fast, my friend" catchphrase into his commentary.

A Father-Son Relationship

Fans have been enthralled by Corso’s football knowledge and showmanship, and also moved by the special father-son type bond he shares with Herbstreit. Corso mentored the former Ohio State quarterback when he joined the show in 1996, and when they called Thursday Night college football games together with Mike Tirico from 1999-2006.

Tributes and Recognition

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro acknowledged Corso's special connection to generations of fans, forged through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks. Numerous colleagues and figures in the sport have expressed their admiration and gratitude for Corso's contributions.

Fowler, who hosted College GameDay and worked side-by-side with Corso, spoke of the joy and privilege of working with him for over 35 years, praising his courage, resilience, and indelible force in the growth of college football's popularity. Herbstreit, who has worked alongside Corso for 29 seasons on College GameDay, called him an iconic figure in broadcasting and a second father. Davis, host of College GameDay and a teammate of Corso’s since 2015, highlighted Corso's ability to bring joy to others and his genuine care for his colleagues. Howard believes Corso's influence rivals that of the greatest in the sport.

The Reasons Behind Retirement

ESPN announced back in April that after 38 seasons appearing on "College GameDay," that Week 1 of the 2025 season would be his final telecast. The network then announced in June that his final show would be at Ohio State-Texas, a heartwarming, full-circle moment for Corso and the show, as he made his first headgear pick in Columbus back in October 1996, when "GameDay" went to Columbus for Ohio State-Penn State.

Corso's decision to retire can be attributed to several factors, most notably his health. He overcame a minor stroke in 2009 and has dealt with health issues over the last few seasons.

Early Years

Bornstein, the executive vice president of programming and production and future ESPN CEO, had come across Corso while producing tape delays of Ohio State football games for WOSU-TV in Columbus and remembered him for being considerate. Corso was brought up to the ESPN mothership in Bristol, Conn., to audition with Brando, the production team and, of all people, Pepper Rodgers, the other finalist. By day’s end, the choice felt obvious. Corso was eventually brought on as the third member of Cook and Brando’s triumvirate to round out the first “College GameDay” crew.

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Memorable Anecdotes

Those closest to Corso shared stories that highlight his unique personality and impact. Shuck, a former football player and assistant coach for Corso at Indiana, noted that even younger folks who may not know much about other legendary coaches all know Lee Corso.

Deal, a former player under Corso at Indiana, recounted a memorable practice where Corso, sensing the team's exhaustion, took them for a swim in the university pool, even jumping off the high dive himself. Switzer recounted that Michigan State wound up siding with an internal candidate and he didn’t get the job [at Michigan State] and he said decades later that he was damn glad he didn’t.

Carpenter recalled a Jan. 1, 1990, edition of "College GameDay" from midfield at the Orange Bowl where he and Corso rang in the new year, tuxedos and all. James shared a humorous anecdote about rooming with Corso and witnessing his pre-sleep ritual of wearing a robe, smoking a cigar, and taking a shot of NyQuil. Brando shared a story about a time he whipped through the drive-thru, laid on the thick Louisiana accent he’d developed during a childhood in Shreveport and surprise the attendant on the other side with his broadcast voice when he’d scoop up his food, but a Bristol cop stopped the car and asked Brando to turn it off.

Corso's Final GameDay

Corso signed off from ESPN’s “College GameDay” with one final show, which he ended by throwing on the Brutus the Buckeye mascot head like he did almost 30 years ago when he made his first mascot head prediction. As the slate of Week 1 games played out, Corso's sendoff only got better. His final prediction of the weekend came true Sunday night, when No. 10 Miami held on to beat No. 6 Notre Dame at home. To take Corso’s perfect weekend even further, every team he has been associated with throughout his career also won. The three schools that he led as a head coach - Indiana, Louisville and Northern Illinois - all won their respective season-openers. Corso also played at Florida State during the 1956 campaign. The send-off show averaged 3.5 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, making it the most-watched College GameDay episode in the history of the show.

Life After GameDay

Corso began hosting the beloved weekly pregame show in 1993. Before joining ESPN, Corso served as the head coach at Louisville (1969-72), Indiana (1973-82) and Northern Illinois (1984). On the show, the crew always reveals their picks for the biggest games of the week. While Corso is no longer on the show, his catchphrases and entertaining attitude lives on through the crew.

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