Saturday marked the end of an era for ESPN’s College GameDay as Lee Corso donned the headgear for the final time. The longtime analyst went off in style.
Corso’s final show averaged 3.5 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, ESPN announced Sunday. That made it the most-watched episode of College GameDay in the program’s storied history.
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Viewership also peaked at 5.1 million viewers in the final quarter hour, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. Full ratings and viewership data will be available Wednesday.
Saturday was not only the first full Saturday of wall-to-wall college football games of the year, but also a fitting sendoff for Corso. The longtime college coach and former Florida State star became one of the most recognizable analysts in the sports since joining College GameDay at its inception in 1987. In 1996, he put on the headgear for the first time when the show made its game picks. He chose Ohio State’s mascot, Brutus, which became known as Corso’s “first love.”
“This is one of the easiest picks I’ve ever made,” Corso said as the stadium speakers relayed his final selection. “Texas is loaded. … They have a Manning at quarterback. Poor Ohio State. They ain’t got a chance. Give me my first love.”
It’s only fitting that for Saturday’s final appearance, Corso put that mascot head on one final time. He picked the Buckeyes to take down Texas in the high-profile Top-5 matchup, and they did just that with a 14-7 victory at The Horseshoe.
That wasn’t the only notable pick for Corso, 90, from his final College GameDay episode. He was the only member of the desk to pick Florida State to defeat Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles took full control early against the Crimson Tide and didn’t look back, coming away with the 31-17 upset of the No. 8-ranked team in the country.
In fact, every team for which Corso either coached or played won on Saturday. He ends his television career with a 287-144 record following his prediction in the Ohio State vs. Texas game.
Saturday turned into a celebration of Lee Corso’s storied television career. In addition to ESPN and ESPNU, FOX aired the final headgear selection on its airwaves, using the camera connected to the jumbotron at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes’ marching band also spelled Corso’s name on the field beforehand, and the Florida State marching band paid a similar tribute in Tallahassee.
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