If you’ve been riding the college football wave for more than five minutes, you know there’s one guy who’s been steering the ship with a sly grin and a head full of mascot fur — Lee Corso. Now, the man, the myth, the headgear king, is hanging it up. But before we get to that farewell hug, Rece Davis just dropped a mic on the Fox narrative, gave Corso his flowers, and reminded everyone why this Saturday morning circus became an all-day party in the first place.

Let’s be clear — Corso isn’t just retiring; he’s closing a 38-year ESPN chapter that turned sleepy pregame TV into a coast-to-coast religion. The final curtain comes August 30, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio, with No. 1 Ohio State hosting Texas. His last mascot pick? Oh, it’s going to be a movie.

On August 12, Rece Davis hopped onto The Next Round podcast and gave big props and love to Lee Corso and his impact: “I think the walk down memory lane and celebrating his tremendous career—because no one has had a greater impact on the popularity of college football on television, and specifically College GameDay and what it has become—than Lee Corso. And I know people would have loved the sport no matter what, so I’m not suggesting that. But the idea of college football being a morning-to-midnight television experience is something that was driven largely—and maybe a better way to put it, the thread that pulled it all together—was largely Lee Corso.” Rece Davis got real, saying nobody’s done more for making college football an all-day TV party than Lee Corso. From winning tough games as a coach to building bonds with players and coworkers, Corso’s impact runs deep. Can’t really argue, right?

Corso’s journey is college football folklore. Before ESPN scooped him in 1987, he spent 28 years in coaching, pulling wins out of tough places like Louisville and Indiana. He wasn’t just a coach, though. The man knew how to work a camera before most players knew how to work a two-minute drill. Since debuting his headgear tradition in 1996, he’s made over 430 picks with a 66.5% win rate — and yeah, he’s picked Ohio State 45 times, more than any other team.

Then came the twisted FOX broadcast narrative. The host tossed him a baited hook: would GameDay’s Week 1 magic be “dampened” because FOX snagged the game at 11 a.m.? Davis wasn’t having it. “We’ve done it so many times. Um, I think where that comes from is the fact that fans—a lot of them, not all of them—but a lot of fans don’t like the fact that their pregame festivities and tailgating is cut short. They like the excitement, the buildup of the night games, and I get that. But, you know, it’s also pretty cool to, um, you know, get things started at that time of morning.”

Rece explained how fans sometimes grumble when tailgating time gets chopped. But then he flipped the script, giving FOX props for turning the early slot from a throwaway into a marquee stage. And then, the haymaker: GameDay doesn’t live and die by kickoff times or network logos. They’re the pregame show for college football, period.

That’s where the Corso factor hits. Even at 11 a.m., the energy will crackle because this isn’t just another Saturday. It’s the last time the old coach will slap on a mascot head and make 50,000 people lose their collective minds. Davis teased that they’ve got special sauce cooking to make sure everyone gets “the full Lee Corso experience.” Translation: pull up early, you’re not gonna want to miss a beat.

Lee Corso’s love of this game is diabolical. Even a stroke in 2009 didn’t slow him down. Corso kept showing up, suit pressed, smile wide, dropping his famous “Not so fast, my friend” with the same spark as always. The guy’s been part of 10 Sports Emmy Award-winning seasons, and his Hall of Fame credentials stretch from Florida State to Indiana to the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. He’s been honored with mayoral proclamations, lifetime achievement awards, and more standing ovations than most rock stars.

Davis’ praise on the podcast wasn’t some soft farewell script. He called Corso “the thread that pulled it all together” — the reason college football went from an afternoon snack to a sunrise-to-midnight buffet on TV. And honestly? He’s right. You take Corso out of the GameDay equation, you lose the glue, the heartbeat, the mischievous grin that makes you stick around until the last pick.

So, yeah — the 11 a.m. thing? Non-issue. Corso’s final pick is going to set the tone for the season before the season even gets going. And if you’re worried about the vibe? Relax. They’ve been cooking up something for months. Think of it like a halftime locker room speech from a coach who knows it’s his last game.

Lee Corso’s final GameDay

Before Corso rocks the headgear one last time, ESPN is giving him the primetime send-off he deserves. On Friday, August 22, at 9 p.m. ET, the network will air Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special. If you miss it, re-airs hit ESPN2 on August 23, and it’ll live on ESPN+ for on-demand tears and laughs.

This isn’t your standard puff piece. The special dives into Corso’s 75-year relationship with the sport, from his playing days at Florida State in the ’50s to nearly three decades coaching at Louisville, Indiana, Navy, and Northern Illinois. Then, of course, the ESPN era — where he’s been clowning, coaching, and captivating from more than 70 college campuses.

It’s also a reunion show. Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Chris Fowler, Maria Taylor, Nick Saban, Tim Brando — they’re all in the mix. Plus, random-but-perfect cameos from Drew Brees, Ken Jeong, Andrew Luck, Lane Kiffin, Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney, and Mike Tirico. Each one brings their best Corso story, from the early days to the weekly roadshows that turned campus lawns into national stages. The special’s production roster reads like a Pro Bowl lineup: Max Brodsky, Jennifer Chafitz, Christopher Duzan, Jon Fish, Alexandra Nolen, Abigail Ochoa, Frank Saraceno, and Kris Schwartz, with coordinating producers Ben Webber, Joe Disney, and Vin Cannamela. Translation: they’re not messing around.

And then, the grand finale — August 30 in Columbus. Defending champ Ohio State vs. Texas. Corso turns 90 this month and will stand in front of a sea of scarlet and burnt orange one last time. When that headgear comes out, it won’t just be another pick. It’ll be the final exclamation point on a career that’s been part circus, part sermon, and 100% college football.

So, set your alarms. Whether it’s 11 a.m. or 11 p.m., this is Corso’s last ride. And something tells us he’s going to make it count.