Legendary broadcaster Lee Corso will make his final mascot headgear selection on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2025, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus before No. 3 Ohio State hosts No. 1 Texas, closing the loop where his signature segment began.
Key Takeaways
- Corso’s last College GameDay pregame appearance is set for Aug. 29, 2025, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
- He turned 90 on Aug. 7, 2025, and announced his retirement earlier in the year.
- Corso began the headgear tradition on Oct. 5, 1996, outside Ohio Stadium by donning Brutus Buckeye’s head.
- He has worn mascot headgear from 69 schools, with Brutus worn 45 times; his headgear picks are 286-144 (66.5%).
- His final pick will be made on the field during GameDay, which will air across ESPN platforms; Fox Sports may show portions.
- Colleagues and coaches, including Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis and Ohio State coach Ryan Day, have praised Corso’s impact.
Verified Facts
Corso has been part of ESPN’s College GameDay since the program launched in 1987. The headgear routine — in which Corso dons the mascot head of the team he predicts will win and theatrically declares the choice — began on Oct. 5, 1996, when he put on the Brutus Buckeye head before Ohio State faced Penn State.
Across his GameDay tenure Corso has used 69 different schools’ mascot heads; Brutus Buckeye remains his most-used selection at 45 appearances. The headgear predictions are documented at 286 wins and 144 losses, a 66.5% success rate. Before broadcasting, Corso spent 15 seasons as a college coach with a record of 73-85-6 at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois.
Corso announced his retirement earlier in 2025 and has received multiple tributes, including recognition at the ESPY Awards in July and a standing ovation in Orlando as he departed on Thursday before the Columbus show. His final mascot pick will be made on the field at Ohio Stadium; ESPN will carry the program across its networks and reports indicate Fox Sports may show parts of the final hour.
Several former GameDay colleagues are expected to appear or comment. Tom Rinaldi and Chris Fallica, now with Fox Sports, are slated to weigh in, while Chris Fowler will be part of the broader broadcast lineup that weekend.
Context & Impact
The decision to stage Corso’s last headgear pick in Columbus carries symbolic weight: it returns the ritual to the place where Corso turned a lighthearted practice into an enduring tradition. Colleagues called the moment “storybook,” noting the program’s evolution from a studio show in Bristol, Connecticut to a road production that became a Saturday ritual for college football fans.
GameDay’s mix of analysis and spectacle helped broaden how pregame shows engage viewers. Corso’s blend of coaching insight and theatrical flair shifted expectations for how a preview show can balance expertise and entertainment, influencing other sports productions.
Coaches and broadcasters have credited Corso with humanizing pregame coverage and making Saturday mornings a cultural touchpoint for college football. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Corso’s presence for his final mascot selection means a lot to players and fans alike.
“We don’t want to be emotional or sad when it’s his last show. We can be sad next week. But this weekend, we need to be celebrating him,”
Kirk Herbstreit, GameDay analyst
“I think it’s a real blessing that we’re able to give Lee his flowers on a day when he’s feeling great, doing great, and excited for a game,”
Rece Davis, GameDay host
Unconfirmed
- Reports and producers have speculated Corso may stage a surprise during his final pick (for example, appearing to choose Ohio State then selecting Texas), but any specific surprise has not been confirmed.
- Additional off-air tributes or future public appearances for Corso beyond the Columbus show have not been announced.
Bottom Line
Saturday’s GameDay in Columbus is both a finale and a full-circle moment: it marks the end of Lee Corso’s long-running on-air ritual where it began. Fans and colleagues are preparing a celebratory send-off for a broadcaster whose mix of coaching savvy and showmanship reshaped college football’s Saturday morning ritual.