Corso made his final appearance as part of ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew before No. 3 and reigning national champion Ohio State took on top-ranked Texas.
WASHINGTON — Lee Corso has made his final headgear pick as host on ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
On Saturday, the longtime host put on Brutus Buckeye for the 46th time in his broadcasting career. His final appearance on the show came right before No. 3 Ohio State kicked off against top-ranked Texas.
“This is one of the easiest picks I’ve ever made. Texas is loaded. Texas is number one. They have a Manning at quarterback. Poor, Ohio State. They ain’t got a chance. Give me my first love!” he said in front of the Ohio Stadium.
Corso, who turned 90 on Aug. 7, has been a part of “GameDay” since its start in 1987 and has made pregame shows entertaining under a simple philosophy: “Football is just the vehicle. It’s entertainment, sweetheart.”
GameDay’s 26th appearance in Columbus, Ohio, also marked a full-circle moment for Corso. It was outside Ohio Stadium on Oct. 5, 1996, where Corso’s popular headgear prediction segment began.
Since announcing his retirement earlier this year, Corso has received his share of acclaim and send-offs. He was honored at the ESPY Awards in July and received a standing ovation before boarding his flight in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday.
Corso has worn 69 different schools’ mascot headgear and has dressed up as Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish leprechaun, the Stanford tree, and historic figures James Madison and Benjamin Franklin. However, Brutus remains Corso’s first love.
Corso — the lone remaining member of GameDay’s original cast — has selected and worn Brutus Buckeye’s headgear a record 46 times. Alabama is next with 38.
The host has a 66.5% winning rate on his headgear predictions (286-144), which is much better than his 73-85-6 mark in 15 years as a coach at Louisville, Indiana, and Northern Illinois.
His head-gear game predictions, off-the-cuff analysis and signature line — “Not so fast, my friend” — have endeared him to generations of college football fans.
In the spring of 2009, Corso suffered a stroke at his home in Florida, but returned to be part of the first “College GameDay” that season.
Over the past couple of seasons Corso has had to miss a handful of “College GameDay” episodes for health reasons.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.