After 38 years of being a fixture of college football, Lee Corso is retiring.

Corso has long been the face of ESPN’s College Game Day — his headgear game picks were must-see TV and the pinnacle of the show every week. It didn’t feel like a college football Saturday until Corso put on a mascot head right before kickoff.

But Corso wasn’t just a talking head on the network, as he played his college football at Florida State University, where he roomed with teammate Burt Reynolds — yes that Burt Reynolds.

After his playing days, he started coaching at the University of Maryland, but was most well-known for being head coach at Indiana for nearly 10 years in the 1970s.

Corso forever leaves his mark on the game of college football as a commentator on ESPN. Every Saturday, Corso could be seen holding his trademark pencil, telling co-workers and guest hosts alike “not so fast, my friend!”

The beauty of Lee Corso is that you never knew what he was going to say, or do, next.

In 2009 Corso suffered a stroke which affected his speech, but thankfully was able to return to the set, sometimes in a limited fashion.

Lately Corso has missed more time from the show, and during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic he broadcasted from his home. He has battled other health issues in the past few years.

The decision-makers at ESPN will give Corso the send-off he deserves, as he will make one more appearance on College Game Day Week 1 of the 2025-26 college football season.

Chances are Game Day will be in Columbus, Ohio where defending National Champions Ohio State welcome in the University of Texas in what should be a Top 3 matchup to start the year.

If you don’t know, the head gear tradition started when Lee Corso donned the head of Brutus the Buckeye, predicting an Ohio State victory all the way back in 1996.

Football fans everywhere say “Thank you, coach!” for making college football better and always being a part of our Saturdays.

Wood is host of the Taste of Country Mornings With Wood and Nicole, which can be heard every morning from 6-10AM CT on the Taste of Country app, on local affiliates where available and online at tasteofcountry.com.