Published: April 17, 2025
By: Adam
After nearly four decades of unforgettable Saturday mornings, Lee Corso will officially sign off from College GameDay this August, ESPN announced on Thursday. The 89-year-old icon — who turns 90 on August 7 — will retire following Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, concluding a career that began in 1987 and helped shape the face of college football broadcasting.
Corso, whose legacy extends far beyond Xs and Os, became the heart and soul of College GameDay, known to generations of fans for his theatrical mascot headgear picks and the legendary phrase, “Not so fast, my friend!”
“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,” Corso said in a statement. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories, and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”
The Headgear, the Humor, the Heart
It all started in October 1995, during an Ohio State game, when Corso — in a spontaneous moment of flair — wore Brutus Buckeye’s head to make his pick. That unscripted stunt became an enduring ritual: each Saturday, Corso would reveal his pick for the biggest game of the week by donning a mascot head, helmet, or costume.
In the years since, he's gone 286-144 in 430 headgear selections, entertaining fans with everything from the Notre Dame leprechaun suit to a full impersonation of Benjamin Franklin. He once held a live baby alligator to pick Florida, rode a motorcycle with the Oregon Duck, and even exchanged picks with Katy Perry in front of a roaring crowd at Ole Miss’s The Grove.
His humor, unpredictability, and showmanship became essential to GameDay’s DNA — turning a football pregame show into a national tradition.
A Voice That Defined an Era
Corso’s contributions go far beyond the laughs. A former college football coach, Corso brought decades of tactical knowledge to the desk, but what endeared him to fans most was his passion for the game, his genuine love for the players, and his ability to connect with audiences young and old.
He was one of the original three panelists when College GameDay began as a studio show. As the show grew into a campus-touring phenomenon, Corso remained its emotional anchor — even as his on-screen time lessened in recent years due to health issues.
Yet through it all, he kept showing up. The fans kept chanting his name. And the headgear kept coming.
Tributes Pour In
Longtime colleague Kirk Herbstreit paid tribute to Corso on social media and on-air:
“There’s no College GameDay without Coach. He’s a mentor, a friend, and an absolute legend. His presence, his stories, his heart — we’ll all miss it every Saturday.”
ESPN is expected to dedicate Week 1 of the 2025 season to Corso’s farewell, with tributes from analysts, former players, celebrities, and fans from across the country. A video montage of his most unforgettable moments — the laughs, the picks, the hugs, the chaos — will likely leave no dry eyes in sight.
The End of a Saturday Tradition
For fans, Corso’s retirement is bittersweet. He has been part of their fall routines for decades, a comforting and entertaining constant in a sport that thrives on change.
From bold predictions to spontaneous stunts, Lee Corso taught us that football is more than a game — it's about joy, connection, and a little bit of chaos. And maybe, just maybe, picking with your heart.
So when Week 1 arrives in August, and Corso puts on that final mascot head, we’ll all be watching — cheering, laughing, maybe tearing up — and saying what he always did, one last time:
“Not so fast, my friend!”