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Lee Corso Leaks Texas-Ohio State Prediction Before Final 'College GameDay'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Spencer Ostrow | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 9:19 AM ET

ESPN’s “College GameDay” went live Saturday morning from Columbus, Ohio, ahead of a top-three showdown between the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes.

The anticipation surrounding the broadcast wasn’t just about it being the season opener — it was also about saying goodbye to a legend. Lee Corso, who joined “College GameDay” in 1987 and became the face of the show for nearly four decades, made his final appearance at age 90. The iconic analyst is set to close his career with one last headgear pick at the end of the show.

Before the broadcast began at 9 a.m. ET, “College GameDay” analyst Kirk Herbstreit shared one final pre-show conversation with Corso as they prepared for Week 1. In the five-minute, seven-second clip shared to social media, Herbstreit playfully asked Corso if he had a “secret” to share about the Texas–Ohio State matchup.

Corso responded by revealing his pick — leaking his prediction before putting on the headgear one final time.

"Ohio State big, big, big — in a big blowout," Corso said.

One last time for our early morning pre @CollegeGameDay conversations with LC…

Not so fast, my friend! pic.twitter.com/TQbCvgm9M8
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 30, 2025

Lee Corso's Headgear Pick Comes Full Circle

Although Corso joined “College GameDay” in 1987, his famous headgear tradition didn’t begin until 1996. That year, before Ohio State faced the Penn State Nittany Lions, he quietly asked a Buckeyes cheerleader to slip him the Brutus mascot head. When he put it on during his pick, the crowd erupted — and a new tradition was born.

Now, nearly three decades later, Corso is set to end his career with Brutus Buckeye, bringing his headgear journey full circle in Columbus, Ohio.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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