Ryan Day pays tribute to Lee Corso ahead of final College GameDay broadcast

When ESPN’s College GameDay makes its debut appearance for the 2025 season it will also be a special send-off for a college football legend. Lee Corso will be participating in his final show.

He’s expected to don the headgear for either Ohio State or Texas, marking one final farewell after more than 400 games doing so. There likely won’t be a dry eye in the house.

“Man, I think great ambassador to the game, just somebody who’s been positive and builds people up,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said, reflecting on Lee Corso’s final game. “He’s somebody that I remember just so many years of putting on the mascot heads and just making Saturdays so enjoyable for so many people.”

Corso has already had some truly heartwarming moments in his long swan song. He donned his 400th headgear during the 2023 season, which ESPN went all out for.

But what he means to the game is hard to summarize. In many ways, Lee Corso is college football.

“Not only as a coach but as a broadcaster and what he’s done, he’s had a lot of impact on people,” Day said. “I just feel like, when it’s all said and done, and now that his career, obviously coaching, but now as a broadcaster, is ending, you look back on the impact that you made. And he certainly made a major impact on a lot of people.”

What happens to the weekly tradition of picking a team and donning the headgear remains to be seen. Nick Saban has subtly indicated he has little interest in taking over the role.

Could someone else do it? It’s possible, but it’ll never be the same as Lee Corso. It just won’t.

“I just remember all the different times, not only when I’ve been the head coach at Ohio State, but before then, of putting on the Brutus head and what came with that,” Day said. “And so for him to be here for his last mascot game and his last year means a lot to all of us. We thank him for everything he’s done. He’s made a lot of impact on a lot of people and I appreciate him.”