Can you believe it? After nearly four decades of Saturday morning magic, Lee Corso will slip on a mascot head one final time when College GameDay rolls into Columbus for the Texas-Ohio State clash on August 30. The 90-year-old broadcasting legend has compiled quite the resume with his headgear selections, boasting a solid 286-144 record for a 66.5% win across 430 total picks. And the beautiful irony is that his farewell performance takes place at the exact same venue where he started this beloved tradition back in 1996, choosing Brutus Buckeye over Penn State in what became a 38-7 Ohio State victory.

Those three decades have delivered countless unforgettable moments, from Corso transforming into everything from a tree to Benjamin Franklin. But ESPN host Rece Davis holds one particular memory above all others. The tale involves Texas football and its most passionate celebrity supporter, Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey has become college football royalty in Austin, frequently appearing on Texas sidelines and even delivering motivational speeches here and there.

Well, Davis revealed his favorite Corso headgear moment when asked about the most memorable pick from his 11 years on the show. “You know what I think it was. There have been several of them. This will be my 11th year on the show. We were Texas LSU one year, and he put on the LSU headgear. Joe Burrow’s Heisman-winning season and Matthew McConaughey started trying to rip it off, and LC had a little bloody ear from it.” Davis quickly added, “LC is tough,” showing the respect he holds for Corso’s unwavering dedication to the broadcast. That chaotic scene is the reason we love Lee Corso.

It captured the raw passion that makes College GameDay television what it is today, blending unscripted drama with genuine emotion.

This memory becomes even more compelling when you consider McConaughey might very well make the trip to Columbus for this monumental Texas-Ohio State showdown, given his legendary loyalty to the Longhorns. Picture lightning striking twice with the Oscar winner finding himself near the GameDay set once again, though hopefully without any blood this time around. With Ohio State arriving as defending national champions and facing Texas in what promises to be an epic season opener, all the ingredients exist for another spontaneous moment involving Corso, his headgear choice, and college football’s most devoted celebrity fan.

Lee Corso has gifted college football enthusiasts nearly four decades of pure Saturday morning joy, transforming the simple act of wearing a mascot head into must-see television. His 431st and final selection will close a chapter that defined weekend traditions for multiple generations of fans. Regardless of whether he chooses Brutus Buckeye or Hook ’em Horns, Corso’s legacy transcends his impressive 66.5% accuracy rate. He transformed college football into pure theater, making every weekend feel like the season’s most crucial game.

The mentor and his protégé

Here’s what gets us about the Lee Corso-Kirk Herbstreit relationship. It represents everything beautiful about mentorship in sports broadcasting.

Think about it: When Herbstreit joined College GameDay in 1996, he was this young former Ohio State quarterback trying to figure out how to talk about college football on national television. And Corso, already a legend at that point, could have easily seen Kirk as competition or just another talking head. Instead, he welcomed him like family and spent the next three decades showing him how to blend knowledge with entertainment and how to respect the game while still having fun with it.

When ESPN rolled out its tribute special “Not So Fast, My Friend” on August 22, Herbstreit got emotional talking about those early learning years. “It taught me so much… sometimes it was just me subconsciously watching him early, going way back when I first started,” Kirk shared. You can picture him as this eager student just soaking up everything Corso did. Then Kirk started laughing as he remembered one of those classic Corso moments. 

“Arkansas against Michigan has pickup trucks against the Cadillac, so I’m going with the pickup trucks.” That right there captures why Corso became such a phenomenon. He could take a football prediction and turn it into pure poetry that made perfect sense to every college football fan watching.

But here’s what really tells you about Corso’s character.

Herbstreit talked about how Lee would show up to Friday production meetings, treating everyone from production assistants to network executives with the exact same warmth and respect. “What the entire show will really remember about Lee is how he would come into a Friday meeting, first one there, pencil ready to go,” Herbstreit revealed, painting this picture of professionalism that goes way beyond the cameras and catchphrases.

When someone who has become one of the most respected voices in college football still talks about his mentor with that level of reverence after 30 years, you know you’re dealing with something special: A genuine human connection that transcends the business.