ESPN Icon Lee Corso Retires After Final Ohio State-Texas Headgear Pick

Lee Corso, the beloved ESPN College GameDay analyst, is retiring after nearly 40 years on the show, with his final headgear pick to be made at the Ohio State vs. Texas game in Columbus, Ohio. Corso first donned mascot headgear in 1996 at an Ohio State game, starting a tradition that saw him make 430 picks over his career, including wearing Ohio State's Brutus Buckeye mascot head 45 times. The final pick, his 431st, will be a highlight of the game day and is expected to be broadcast on both ESPN and Fox, with Fox airing Corso’s selection from inside Ohio Stadium in a unique tribute. Colleagues and fans alike are celebrating Corso’s impact on college football broadcasting, praising his blend of coaching insight, passion, and entertainment, most memorably his catchphrase, "Not so fast, my friend." The farewell is especially poignant as it returns to the site of his first headgear pick, with ESPN and Ohio State marking the occasion with special tributes, including a custom logo from the show’s sponsor. Despite health challenges in recent years, Corso remains a cherished figure, credited with elevating College GameDay into a national phenomenon and becoming an iconic figure in college football culture.