Full Circle: The End of an Era - Lee Corso Retires from College GameDay

Saturday, August 30, 2025, Columbus, Ohio. It was a day packed with nostalgia, emotion, and triumph. After nearly four decades, College GameDay legend Lee Corso made his final mascot headgear pick, exactly where it all began.

Corso's first headgear selection took place on October 5, 1996, when he donned Brutus Buckeye to pick Ohio State over Penn State. That playful choice would spark one of the most beloved traditions in all of sports television. Nearly three decades later, in poetic symmetry, his final pick was also Ohio State. On August 30, 2025, he once again pulled on Brutus's oversized head to predict the Buckeyes would beat Texas, and he was right, as Ohio State came away with a 14-7 victory. Both his first and last picks being the Buckeyes was a full-circle moment that perfectly capped Corso's on-air legacy.

Across more than 430 headgear selections, Corso built a reputation as both an entertainer and a surprisingly sharp prognosticator. His career record stands at 286 wins and 144 losses, a success rate of 66.5 percent. No team was more closely linked with his antics than Ohio State, the school he picked more than any other. He chose the Buckeyes 46 times in total, compiling a 32-14 record when siding with them. And while Ohio State was his favorite target, USC gave him his cleanest record. He was a flawless 17-0 when donning Trojan colors.

The finale itself was nothing short of a spectacle. The farewell broadcast shattered GameDay viewership records, drawing 3.5 million average viewers and peaking at over 5.1 million during Corso's last headgear reveal. The atmosphere in Columbus was electric, with fans and the Ohio State marching band creating a wall of scarlet in tribute. As chants of appreciation filled the air, Corso, now 90 years old, reflected on a career that had helped make Saturdays in the fall a national ritual.

Lee Corso did not just make picks; he made College GameDay. Since joining the show in 1987, his humor, warmth, and unpredictability transformed it from a pregame preview into a Saturday morning institution. The headgear tradition, which began as a one-off gag, became the heartbeat of the broadcast and the moment fans tuned in for year after year. His influence extended beyond the show itself. Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter turned commentator, summed it up in a single, powerful line during Corso's farewell: "Because of you, I am." The simplicity of the statement captured the profound impact Corso had on the next generation of sports broadcasters.

Nick Saban, legendary Alabama coach, also reflected on Corso's lasting imprint. "The one thing I think Lee Corso did, and he did it with such grace, is he brought entertainment to this business," Saban said. He added, "I think Lee Corso is an icon when it comes to television in terms of creating a tradition of putting that headgear on for whatever teams, and the anticipation that everybody has on Saturday morning to see who he's going to pick. He's a great guy, a fantastic person to be around, and one of the ultimate professionals that anybody would ever have a chance to work with. He's made such a great contribution for many, many years. We're going to miss him. But when you retire, people really should be happy. We're very happy." These words underscore the respect Corso earned from coaches, players, and broadcasters alike, not just for his on-air antics but for his integrity and dedication to the game.

As he steps away from the set for the last time, Corso leaves behind more than just stats and picks. He leaves memories that span generations, moments of laughter, surprise, and shared joy that bound together fans across the country. His retirement is more than the close of a career; it is the sunset of an era. Yet, the spirit he brought to college football Saturdays will live on, just as timeless as the game itself.