After a nearly four-decade run, legendary sports analyst Lee Corso has decided to hang up his mascot heads.
On Thursday, the longtime co-host of ESPN’s College GameDay announced that he will be retiring later this year, capping off a broadcasting career that began in 1987. In a statement released by the network, Corso, 89, extended his gratitude to ESPN and colleagues for the “opportunity” to grace the airwaves “for nearly 40 years.”
“I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement,” Corso said.
The famed announcer’s final GameDay broadcast will take place on Aug. 30, according to ESPN, with “additional programming to celebrate Corso” slated to occur “in the days leading up to that weekend.”
For longtime college football fans, Corso’s absence will undoubtedly leave a gaping hole in the Saturday morning GameDay experience. His good-natured humor and quirky antics were staples of the game as much as a school’s battle cry or marching band halftime performance.
Among Corso’s most well known lines was his infamous, “Not so fast, my friend!” While typically directed at co-host and former Ohio State quarterback Kirt Herbstreit to express his disagreement with Herbstreit’s game picks, the former Indiana head coach was never afraid to use the phrase when challenging the choices of other panelists.
One of Corso’s funniest “Not so fast” moments came ahead of a 2012 matchup between Harvard and Yale, in which GameDay‘s guest “celebrity” picker — a 5-year-old boy — picked Yale to win the game. Without missing a beat, Corso added a creative twist to his famous line, jokingly telling the young boy, “Not so fast, midget!”
The moment left Herbstreit with his head in his hands, crying with laughter.
But above all, the legendary broadcaster is widely known for his “unique” apparel when announcing his weekly picks.
Since starting the tradition in 1995, Corso has donned the mascot head of whichever team he’s picking to win in the major game of the week. He’s even gone as far as dressing up as the Fighting Irish leprechaun when selecting Notre Dame.
(Check out this hilarious bit alongside celebrity guest picker Ken Jeong before the matchup between Notre Dame and Duke in September 2023.)
Even when battling personal medical issues, Corso never allowed his own struggles to hinder his willingness to keep millions of college football fans entertained and smiling every Saturday. While it’s sad to watch him go, his retirement from College GameDay is a well-deserved ending to an incredible and legendary career.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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