ESPN's College Gameday is not what it is without the legendary Lee Corso. In April, he announced his retirement as the beloved college football analyst after 38 years.
Tributes came pouring in from fans and colleagues alike. On Saturday, during the opening of College GameDay, a huge banner was on display among Ohio State fans that honored Corso.
It read “Not So Fast My Friend”, Corso's most famous quote.
WE ARE BACK‼️
Come for the classic @ReceDavis intro, stay for the Lee Corso banner 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wjZGJrhoKO
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 30, 2025
This was during the leadup of the matchup between Ohio State and Texas. The presence of Corso during College GameDay has become so familiar that the thought of him not being there is foreign.
His trademark use of donning mascot headgear to make his prediction on who will win has become a cultural staple.
Corso was the proper mixture of in depth analysis along with being a genuine fan. He had been a coach for 15 years for the Louisville Cardinals, Indiana Hoosiers, and Northern Illinois Huskies.
At one point, Corso was the head coach of the Orlando Renegades of the United States Football League (USFL).
But it is his work as an analyst that spans generations.
Lee Corso is an icon
Throughout the years of sports broadcasting, some names have stood out because of their unique brand.
Jim McKay was an excellent storyteller. Howard Cosell told it like it was by being bombastic and outspoken.
Brent Musburger was very detail oriented. Harry Carey, Mel Allen, and Jack Brickhouse had their catch phrases. The list goes on and on. Corso is right up there amongst those legends.
His endearing personality combined with his passion for the sport is something of tremendous reverence. He set a high bar for what it means to do the job effectively and with glee that it will be difficult to find someone to duplicate that.
But in truth there is only one Lee Corso.
