In 1987, Lee Corso made his first appearance on ESPN’s college football pregame show, College GameDay—which had just launched.
Almost 40 years later, the 90-year-old headgear-wearing coach will make his final GameDay appearance on Saturday in Columbus for Texas–Ohio State. It’s the end of an era not just for ESPN and GameDay, but also for millions of viewers accustomed to the morning ritual that has dominated the airwaves for decades.
“Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Lee is one of the most influential and beloved figures in the history of college football.”
For 28 years, Corso made a name as a college and professional football head coach. Between 1969 and 1985, he coached Louisville, Indiana, Northern Illinois, and the USFL’s Orlando Renegades.
In 1987, he joined the inaugural season of GameDay as a contributor and became a full-time analyst two years later. He was even on the desk for ESPN’s first campus show in 1993 in South Bend for Florida State–Notre Dame. He has visited more than 70 campuses since then.
Corso introduced his most iconic bit—the headgear pick—in 1996: At the end of GameDay, he dons a giant mascot head of the team he’s backing to win that weekend. Corso has made 430 headgear picks through the years, with a 66.5% win percentage, according to ESPN—though he had a perfect 11-0 season in 1999. That first pick on Oct. 5, 1996, ESPN noted, was Ohio State—the team hosting his final appearance.
Corso is known for more than just his headgear picks, however. He’s earned the respect of coaches and players nationwide, developed a strong mentorship of fellow GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit—the recipient of his famous catchphrase, “Not so fast, my friend”—and has won nine Sports Emmys.
Over the past few years, Corso’s appearances on GameDay have become less frequent—after all, the weekly traveling circus is a notoriously grueling job for anyone, no matter their age.
In the week leading up to Corso’s swan song, ESPN ran a one-hour special on his years on GameDay, interviewing everyone from Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney to Drew Brees. The network has also rolled out multiple short videos, including one chronicling the history of Corso’s headgear bit.
This Saturday, he’ll don a mascot one last time.
