Leo Corso made his final appearance as part of ESPN's "College GameDay” crew before No. 3 and reigning national champion Ohio State hosts top-ranked Texas. The phrase "end of an era" applies to Leo Corso's final "College GameDay" on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
Since announcing his retirement earlier this year, Leo Corso has been showered with tributes and heartfelt farewells. In July, he was celebrated at the ESPY Awards, and just this Thursday, he was met with a standing ovation before boarding his flight out of Orlando, Florida.
The 90-year-old has been with the ESPN college football pregame show since its debut in 1987. He had been a key part of as it broke free of its studio trappings and became a traveling road show while growing into a national phenomenon.
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If "College GameDay" was visiting, the game on campus that Saturday was likely the biggest in the sport that weekend. As the show gained popularity, Corso became a face of the sport — much like he predicted he would, as original host Tim Brando recalled to ESPN's Ryan McGee.
“Almost everyone, no matter what they accomplish in our industry, sort of gets dragged out boots first. They don’t really get a chance to say farewell,” GameDay host Rece Davis said on Friday after a production meeting. “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.”
GameDay’s 26th trip to Columbus carries extra significance for Lee Corso—it’s where one of his most iconic traditions was born. On October 5, 1996, just outside Ohio Stadium, Corso first slipped on Brutus Buckeye’s head, launching the now-legendary headgear prediction segment.
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Since then, Corso has sported the helmets and mascots of 69 different schools, transforming into everything from Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish leprechaun to the Stanford tree, even channeling historical figures like James Madison and Benjamin Franklin. But Brutus will always be special—his very first choice, and the one he’s returned to 45 times.
Corso became famous for his game-day predictions on College GameDay. Each Saturday, he revealed his pick by dramatically putting on the headgear of the team’s mascot he expected to win—a tradition that never failed to spark loud cheers or playful boos from the spirited crowd of students and fans gathered to witness the show.
Appropriately, Corso's final "College GameDay" comes before one of the most anticipated college football games of recent memory, with No. 1 Texas facing No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus.
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Since announcing his retirement earlier this year, Leo Corso has been showered with tributes and heartfelt farewells. In July, he was celebrated at the ESPY Awards, and just this Thursday, he was met with a standing ovation before boarding his flight out of Orlando, Florida.
The 90-year-old has been with the ESPN college football pregame show since its debut in 1987. He had been a key part of as it broke free of its studio trappings and became a traveling road show while growing into a national phenomenon.
ALSO READ: Trump dead rumours: When White House offered head-scratching excuse for President's new bruise amid health concerns
If "College GameDay" was visiting, the game on campus that Saturday was likely the biggest in the sport that weekend. As the show gained popularity, Corso became a face of the sport — much like he predicted he would, as original host Tim Brando recalled to ESPN's Ryan McGee.
Lee Corso's farewell
Corso, who turned 90 on Aug. 7, has been a part of “GameDay” since its start in 1987 and has made pregame shows entertaining under a simple philosophy: “Football is just the vehicle. It’s entertainment, sweetheart.”“Almost everyone, no matter what they accomplish in our industry, sort of gets dragged out boots first. They don’t really get a chance to say farewell,” GameDay host Rece Davis said on Friday after a production meeting. “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.”
GameDay’s 26th trip to Columbus carries extra significance for Lee Corso—it’s where one of his most iconic traditions was born. On October 5, 1996, just outside Ohio Stadium, Corso first slipped on Brutus Buckeye’s head, launching the now-legendary headgear prediction segment.
ALSO READ: Did Trump's niece drop shocking clues and made chilling health revelation? What you need to know
Since then, Corso has sported the helmets and mascots of 69 different schools, transforming into everything from Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish leprechaun to the Stanford tree, even channeling historical figures like James Madison and Benjamin Franklin. But Brutus will always be special—his very first choice, and the one he’s returned to 45 times.
Corso became famous for his game-day predictions on College GameDay. Each Saturday, he revealed his pick by dramatically putting on the headgear of the team’s mascot he expected to win—a tradition that never failed to spark loud cheers or playful boos from the spirited crowd of students and fans gathered to witness the show.
Appropriately, Corso's final "College GameDay" comes before one of the most anticipated college football games of recent memory, with No. 1 Texas facing No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus.
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