Lee Corso’s ESPN Farewell Special Has College Football Fans Reaching For the Tissues
Nothing could have prepared you for the emotional haymaker that ESPN just dropped on college football fans everywhere. The network released a trailer for their upcoming Lee Corso special. It had grown adults openly weeping on social media like they just watched the ending of Old Yeller.
The End of an Era: Corso’s Final Bow Approaches
Time has this cruel way of sneaking up on legends, and unfortunately, it has caught up with Lee Corso. The 89-year-old College GameDay icon announced his retirement back in April, and now we are staring down the barrel of his final show on August 30. The man who turned Saturday mornings into appointment television for nearly four decades is hanging up his headgear for good.
But here’s the thing about Corso that makes this so gut-wrenching: he didn’t just analyze games. He became the heartbeat of college football Saturdays. When he joined College GameDay in 1987, nobody could have predicted that this former coach would transform into the most beloved character in sports media. His infectious personality and razor-sharp football mind created something magical that can’t be replicated.
When Headgear Picks Became Must-See TV
Let’s rewind to October 1996, shall we? That’s when Corso made what might be the smartest career move in television history. His first headgear pick. What started as a simple gimmick evolved into the most anticipated moment of every College GameDay broadcast. Whether he was slipping on Brutus Buckeye’s oversized noggin or transforming into a Fighting Irish leprechaun, Corso made every pick feel like a Broadway performance.
The genius of it all was how genuine his excitement remained, week after week, year after year. You would think after hundreds of headgear picks, the magic would wear off. Not with Corso. Every Saturday morning, he brought that same childlike enthusiasm that reminded us why we fell in love with college football in the first place.
ESPN’s Emotional Tribute Hits Different
ESPN’s upcoming special, “Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special,” premieres this Friday, August 22 at 9 p.m. ET. The one-hour tribute will feature current and former ESPN personalities like Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, and Desmond Howard sharing their favorite Corso moments. They have also lined up appearances from coaching legends like Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, and a roster of sports stars, including Drew Brees and Andrew Luck.
It is a 47-second trailer that’s got everyone in their feelings right now. Social media is flooded with fans admitting they’re “not ready” for this farewell. One particularly honest fan tweeted, “So I’m gonna cry Friday night AND Saturday morning.” Another simply wrote, “I’m not crying, you’re crying.” Let’s be honest, we all are.
The Man Behind the Magic
What makes Corso special isn’t just his longevity or his headgear picks. It is how he connects with people. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro nailed it when he said, “Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks.”
He took a career that spanned over 75 years in football, from playing at Florida State in the 1950s to coaching at Louisville, Indiana, Navy, and Northern Illinois, and capped it off by becoming the face of college football media. That’s not luck; that’s pure charisma mixed with an authentic love for the game that viewers could feel through their television screens.
Columbus: The Perfect Final Stage
It is beautifully fitting that Corso’s final College GameDay appearance will be in Columbus, Ohio. He has spent countless hours talking up Ohio State and famously referred to Brutus Buckeye as his “first love.” The symmetry is almost too perfect. A legend saying goodbye in a place that represents everything he’s brought to college football culture.
The Tears Are Real, and That’s Okay
Here is what is hitting fans so hard about this farewell: Corso represents consistency in a world that changes too fast. For 38 seasons, he has been there every Saturday morning, bringing joy and unpredictability to our weekends. He has been the constant companion through championship runs, heartbreaking losses, and everything in between.
The fact that a simple trailer can reduce college football fans to tears says everything about Corso’s impact. He didn’t just analyze games; he became part of our Saturday morning ritual, part of our family traditions, part of what makes college football special.
We are all going to cry on Friday night. And Saturday morning. And probably for a few Saturdays after that. That is because saying goodbye to Lee Corso isn’t just about losing a television personality. It is about closing the book on an era that defined what college football broadcasting could be.
