Lee Corso Was More Than Entertainment — He Was Tradition

Ladies and gentlemen, today we witnessed the end of an era.

And I don’t say that lightly.

The great Lee Corso — Coach Corso — made his final broadcast on ESPN’s College GameDay.

At 90 years old, the man who turned picking football games into an art form, who made headgear a cultural phenomenon, and who brought joy, humor, and unpredictability to Saturday mornings for nearly four decades, has officially hung it up.

And let me just say this: college football will never be the same.

This wasn’t just a TV personality. This was an institution. Since GameDay launched in 1987, Corso has been its heartbeat. He turned what could’ve been just another X’s and O’s pregame show into must-see television.

Why?

Because he understood something that too many folks in sports TV forget: “Football is just the vehicle. It’s entertainment, sweetheart.”

That’s a direct Corso quote. And let me tell you, he lived by it.

Who else could put on a giant Brutus Buckeye head 46 different times, look dead in the camera, and still have you sitting at the edge of your seat waiting to see which mascot he’d become this week?

Who else could turn a simple prediction into a full-blown spectacle — a tradition that fans young and old live for every Saturday?

Nobody. Nobody but Lee Corso.

His final pick? Fittingly, Ohio State. Brutus Buckeye, his old reliable. For the 46th time.

The man went out the way he came in — with flair, with fun, and with that mischievous grin that always made you laugh, even if he picked against your team.

And let’s not act like he was just putting on a show. The man KNEW football. Over 430 headgear picks, a 66.5% winning rate.

Say what you want about his coaching record, but when it came to predicting big games, Corso was as sharp as they come.

Today wasn’t just a farewell. It was a celebration. Ryan Day handing him a helmet covered in Buckeye stickers. The massive 85-pound Brutus cake. The crowd roaring at The Shoe. Colleagues paying tribute.

Because everyone in the sport — coaches, players, fans, rivals — understands one truth: Lee Corso is college football.

Think about it: no matter what chaos was happening in the world, no matter how your week went, you could count on waking up Saturday morning, turning on ESPN, and hearing Lee Corso yell, “Not so fast, my friend!” 

That’s not just broadcasting. That’s cultural impact. That’s comfort food for the soul of sports fans everywhere.

Now listen, I don’t care if you’re a die-hard Alabama fan, a Michigan man, or a Boise State believer.

You might hate his picks, you might laugh at his antics, but deep down, you loved him. We all did. Because in a sport full of rivalries and tension, Corso reminded us that at the end of the day, this game is supposed to be fun.

So here’s my salute to you, Coach.

You gave us 37 years of laughter, unpredictability, and joy.

You gave us tradition. You gave us memories. You made Saturday mornings sacred.

Lee Corso isn’t just walking away from College GameDay. He’s walking into the history books.

And as far as I’m concerned, his bust belongs in Canton right next to the legends of the game — because his impact on football culture is just that big.

Thank you, Coach Corso. For the laughs, the love, the energy, and the memories.

And for reminding us all, week after week, that football is supposed to bring us together.

Now… let’s see who’s brave enough to try to fill those shoes.