Lee Corso receives ESPYS tribute, puts on famous headgear as 'College GameDay' farewell continues
Corso, who will turn 90 in August, announced earlier this year that his final show for the longstanding pregame broadcast would take place Week 1 of the 2025 college football season. "GameDay" will be in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 30 for a highly-anticipated showdown between defending national champion Ohio State and Texas.
Corso's send-off location is fitting given he started his headgear segment at Ohio State on Oct. 5, 1996 before the Buckeyes hosted Penn State.
"I feel like I've had the best seat really in all in college football for these last 30 years, right next to Coach, right before he'd pull that headgear out or say something that nobody else would say," Herbsteit said Wednesday night at the ESPYS, alongside fellow "GameDay" co-hosts Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee.
"There's so many lessons and such a special bond that I'm so lucky to share with one of the great spirits and great minds that college football has ever seen."
Howard, who won the Heisman Trophy at Michigan and a Super Bowl MVP with the Green Bay Packers in the '90s, followed Herbstreit's comments.
"I've been very fortunate to play for some great coaches: Two Hall of Fame coaches — one in high school, one in college — a Super Bowl-winning coach," Howard said. "But it wasn't until I retired and started doing TV when I ran into the greatest coach anybody doing TV could ever have, Lee Corso. When I came aboard in 2005, Coach Corso opened his arms. He embraced me, he taught me, he coached me. But, more than anything, he made me feel like family."
McAfee is one of the newest members of "GameDay," a show that's going on its 39th season this year. But he felt the impact of Corso long before he starting working with him.
"I don't think anybody can question what Coach means to GameDay," McAfee said. "Obviously there's a generation of fans from all over the country that love the sport strictly because of Lee, and it's not just because of his knowledge of the game or his résumé, it's because he understands very much that you don't have to take yourself seriously to talk about sports.
"That's what makes for good TV. What is his quote actually about how we should view TV?"
In response, Herbstreit recited the line from Corso: "We're in the entertainment business, and college football is our vehicle."
Following a montage of coaching and "GameDay" clips, Corso took center stage and addressed a crowd that was quick to clap for the sports media icon.
"I'm honored to be here tonight. I want to thank ESPN for this tribute and an opportunity to do a job that I've loved for 38 years," Corso said before the first round of loud applause. "My goal on TV was to bring a smile to everybody's face. I hope I have done that. My wife, Betsy, and I have been married for 69 years, and I just wanted to thank her for loving me and allowing me to love her for all those years. Thank you very much ESPN for this honor, tribute, and I appreciate everybody here. Thank you very much."
It looked like the tribute was over, but ... not so fast, my friend.
That's when McAfee cued the USC marching band, which played the "College GameDay" theme song while Corso headgear was featured in a growing crowd behind him.
Corso was given his trusty Trojan helmet and, in return, gave USC's two-fingered "Fight On!" salute.
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