Lee Corso, legendary ESPN College GameDay analyst, to retire after 90th birthday

By OLIVER SALT

Iconic ESPN College GameDay analyst Lee Corso is set to bow out from the show after almost five decades this year, it has been announced.

Corso, who turns 90 on August 7, first joined College GameDay all the way back in 1987 and quickly became a much-loved member of the panel.

The legendary broadcaster plans to retire after Week 1 of the 2025 season, with his final show to come on August 30.

‘My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,’ he said in a statement released by the network.

‘I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.’

Corso is most famous for his trademark headgear picks on College GameDay, which sees him wear the mascot head of the team he is choosing to win, as well as his ‘not so fast, my friend’ retort whenever he disagreed with a fellow panel member. 

ESPN College GameDay analyst Lee Corso is set to bow out after almost five decades

Corso, 89, is famous for his trademark headgear picks on the popular college football show

The fan-favorite headgear segment began back in October 1995 and, as well as mascot heads and helmets, has also seen him dress up as the Fighting Irish leprechaun from Notre Dame, the Stanford tree and historical figures Benjamin Franklin and James Madison. 

‘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 and our ESPN team will celebrate his legendary career during his final College GameDay appearance this August.’

Before his final broadcast, ESPN announced that additional programming to celebrate Corso’s service to the network is planned in the lead-up to his farewell weekend. 

The veteran analyst, who suffered a stroke back in 2009 before returning to College GameDay later that year, has not traveled too much with the show in recent years, but was able to make it to last season’s national title game in Atlanta.

‘ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years,’ he continued. ‘They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay.

Since 1996, Corso has developed a formidable partnership with fellow analyst Kirk Herbstreit, with the pair becoming close both on and off screen. ‘Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement,’ he added. 

‘And lest I forget, the fans… truly a blessing to share this with them,’ Corso concluded. ‘ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.’

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Lee Corso, legendary ESPN College GameDay analyst, to retire after 90th birthday

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