Lee Corso is synonymous with college football.
For nearly 75 years, first as a Florida State player, then as a coach and later an analyst, Corso has been the face of many a college football game day — until now.
Corso, 90, will bid farewell to ESPN’s College GameDay, a three-hour precursor to the week’s college football games, Saturday after 38 years of providing insight and analysis, and sharing predictions by donning mascot heads, a practice he began in 1996. Since its inception, Corso is 286-144 over 340 mascot headgear selections. He also became known for his trademark catchphrase: “Not so fast, my friend.”
As the 2025 college football season gets fully underway this weekend, fans were excited yet devastated by Corso’s retirement. Some drove 12 hours to see Corso’s final show in person in Columbus, Ohio where he will make the final mascot headgear pick of his storied career.
“I am not ready for Lee Corso’s final Headgear Pick. You can bet that I will not be dry-eyed by the end of @CollegeGameDay today. Not one ounce of shame,” one fan wrote on X.
“Lee Corso is 90 years old and people can’t get enough of him still. We can all strive to be that loved,” someone wrote as another echoed: “Today we lay to rest a college football tradition like no other. Lee Corso, we will miss you.”
“Been watching Lee Corso for quite some time! Congrats on retirement,” another wrote.
Corso announced his retirement in April, saying at the time: “My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years. I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”
In honor of his final show, Corso showed up Saturday in a black tuxedo, saying he wanted to go out “in style.”
Tributes and messages of congratulations have also poured in from around the football world, including from those who have co-anchored College GameDay with Corso.
For Saturday’s show, Corso’s colleagues donned headgear of their own in a nod to their friend and co-anchor: giant Corso heads.
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Footage of the moment shared by ESPN via X was captioned: “The Lee Corso headgear … The College GameDay crew honoring Lee Corso on his final show.”
College GameDay will continue with hosts Rece Davis, Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit, in addition to appearances from Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Jen Lada, Jess Sims, Pete Thamel, Steve “Stanford Steve” Coughlin, and Katie Feeney.
