After nearly 40 years of collecting mascot heads with his college football predictions, Lee Corso will call it a career. The legendary analyst and former coach announced his retirement and will do one final ESPN College GameDay show on Week 1 of the 2025 season.

Corso, 89, ends his run after 38 years on the show. He has been a staple of the broadcast since its inception in 1997 and quickly became synonymous with closing out the program by putting on the head of the mascot of the team he predicts will win the featured matchup.

Over the past few years, Corso's activity on the show has been questioned due to his advancing age. He has taken the past few seasons year-by-year but finally decided to make his well-earned retirement in 2025.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be a part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,” Corso said on his retirement, via ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Following Corso's retirement announcement, the fan-favorite broadcaster was showered with praise and tributes from colleagues, coaches, fans and players alike. Thamel added that he saw Corso as an “incredible spirit and kindness” throughout the duration of their overlapping careers.

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Corso was also praised for his “passion” by ESPN fantasy football analyst Field Yates.

“Lee Corso's passion for college football has resonated with fans for decades,” Yates tweeted. “A Saturday morning is not complete until he makes his headgear pick. Can't wait to see the final one. An absolute legend. What a run.”

Fans took the opportunity to reflect on Corso's best on-air scenes and share their opinions with clips of what they believed was his best career moment. In many ways, Corso's comedic approach was ahead of its time. However, many fans agreed that they all fondly recalled a specific episode in which he called a child at the desk a “midget” for disagreeing with his prediction.

While College GameDay will go on, it will never be the same without the beloved personality running the show. Corso's retirement will undoubtedly make his final episode one of the most-watched editions of the program. The 2025 Week 1 show location has yet to be announced.