College GameDay has changed forever. Lee Corso went out with one of the biggest celebrations for a sports TV personality at Ohio State’s home stadium. Everyone was part of it. The crowd, the band, even rival networks put aside their competition to telecast this legend’s final moments. ESPN’s Rece Davis was part of the panel on that final day.

Davis shared his feelings about Corso’s final day on the Stugotz podcast on YouTube. “He had a remarkable career in television, and he got a chance to go out, unlike virtually anyone else in TV.” Analysts, anchors, and sideline reporters don’t get the sort of fairytale ending Corso got. Most of them disappear or are pushed to the periphery. Meanwhile, Corso was able to “weave in the day of football” on his last day.

“It was a remarkable moment for Lee, and I hope he soaked it up and enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed celebrating that moment with him,” said Davis. “His presence, you know, is really infectious around us, and everybody, you know, enjoys spending time with him, talking to him, and, you know, teasing him about who the headgear pick’s going to be and all of that.” It was fitting that it was in Columbus, the very city where the headgear gag was born back in 1996, Lee Corso made his final pick.

Since he first slipped on Brutus Buckeye’s noggin on October 5, 1996, Corso has paraded 69 different mascots across America’s living rooms, racking up more than 400 headgear selections with a win rate north of sixty-six percent. Ohio State became his most frequent foil, while USC never lost when he backed the Trojans. On the final day, Corso closed the loop on this almost 30 year tradition by picking the Buckeyes again. Corso’s final episode became the most-watched Gameday episode, with 5.1 million viewers peaking during his pick.

Health issues made Lee Corso quit

Coaches, players, colleagues, and fans all shared what Corso meant to them, paying tribute to him across all platforms. Corso admitted that all the tributes made him feel like he was dead. Despite a successful career, Corso’s retirement did not come as a shock.

Over the years, the 90-year-old Corso’s absence had people spreading rumors about his health issues. Last year, he missed four games, and then three games in 2022. Back in 2020, when the pandemic was raging all across, he appeared from his home. During those final days, Corso spoke candidly to ESPN “I can’t remember nothing. But it’s true. Right. Yeah. You get older, you lose somebody,” Lee Corso admitted. ” And I just lost it now because it was time to go. It was time to go because with Parkinsons I can hardly move,” he added.

As if it was providence, on that final day Corso was six out of six on his picks. This includes calling his shot on two upsets as the only one to pick the underdog. He picked FSU over Bama, and LSU over Clemson.  “Florida State is my school,” Corso, the FSU alumnus said. “I wouldn’t pick against them. Florida State upsets Alabama.” Lee Corso concluded a College GameDay career that spanned 38 years with a perfect sweep.