Lee Corso headgear retirement: College GameDay surprises CFB legend with special farewell gesture

ESPN’s “College GameDay” kicked off the 2025 season live from Columbus, Ohio, for a showdown between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State. The broadcast was especially significant as it marked Lee Corso’s final appearance on the show after 38 seasons.

Corso has been a staple of the program since its debut in 1987. He became famous for his lighthearted and surprising “headgear picks,” when he dons the mascot head of the team he predicts will win. The tradition began in 1996, when he picked Ohio State and wore the Brutus Buckeye head.

Since then, Corso has made 430 headgear picks, choosing Ohio State 31 times -- more than any other team.

To honor him, the GameDay crew and fans organized a tribute. Co-hosts wore Lee Corso headgear, while the crowd held masks of his face, as Corso smiled throughout.

The roots of the headgear tradition trace back to 1993, when GameDay made its first visit to a college campus. Corso picked his alma mater, Florida State, by wearing a Seminoles hat. That moment later inspired the full mascot-head tradition.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College Gameday for nearly 40 years,” Corso said when his retirement was announced in April. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”

College football mascots pay tribute to Lee Corso

As fans nationwide said goodbye to the man who helped shape College GameDay for generations, mascots had their chance to honor him too.

During Saturday’s show, mascots from UCF, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson appeared in Columbus. Together, they presented Corso with a gift: a donation toward school resources at his alma mater, Florida State University.

Each of those schools had games scheduled this weekend, but their mascots still traveled to Columbus to pay tribute to the legendary broadcaster.

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Garima's inclination for sports began with Pitthu/Seven Stones, then cricket, when she was named the team captain in high school, and slowly built up to badminton, tennis, swimming, baseball, and, most recently, F1. There is no end to her love for Serena Williams, who she admires for her incredible impact not only on the game but on women around the world.

Apart from sports, she loves good storytelling in any form, be it a good fiction book, film, or even a vlog. Photography, going on drives, eating good food, and exercising are the things that keep her sound.

Currently studying the Japanese language, she aims to become fluent by the end of 2026.

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