ESPN has announced that longtime College GameDay analyst Lee Corso is retiring after the first week of the season. The 89-year-old Corso will make one final appearance on the show before ending his 38-year career with the network. Corso joined ESPN in 1987, shortly after his coaching career ended, and has been a staple on College GameDay ever since.
Corso’s retirement marks the end of an era for the popular college football program. The analyst was known for his iconic headgear predictions, often wearing mascots or animals to predict the winner of each week’s marquee game. Corso also dealt with health issues in recent years, including a stroke in 2009 that forced him to reduce his role on the show.
Corso’s colleagues and friends have praised his dedication to ESPN and College GameDay. Kirk Herbstreit, who has worked alongside Corso for 29 years, described their partnership as “my absolute honor” and said Corso was like a second father to him. Corso expressed gratitude to ESPN for the opportunities he received during his career, saying they provided him with the support to succeed.
The exact location of Corso’s final show is still to be determined, but it will likely be one of two possible options: Ohio State hosting Texas or Alabama visiting Florida State in Week 1. Both locations hold significant meaning for Corso, as he first made his mascot headgear predictions famous at Ohio State and also got his start coaching at Florida State.
Corso’s retirement marks the end of an era for ESPN’s College GameDay, but his legacy will live on through the countless fans and analysts who have been inspired by his work.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/article/longtime-espn-college-gameday-analyst-lee-corso-to-retire-after-week-1-140632012.html