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Lee Corso's farewell tour kicked off in epic fashion with touching tribute at 2025 ESPYs

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Sophie Weller | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 2:19 AM ET

The 2025 ESPY Awards took a moment to pay tribute to one of the most iconic analysts ESPN has ever had.

On August 30th, Lee Corso will make his final College GameDay headgear pick after 38 seasons on the hit show. He made his first pick in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio, and now, he will be 90 when he makes his last appearance at the place where it all began.

Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee shared their thoughts on Corso at the ESPYs. Plus, the USC band made a special appearance. And they had a special video, looking back at some of his most iconic moments.

LEE CORSO FOREVER ❤️ @CollegeGameDay | @ESPYS pic.twitter.com/78kjwFV82Y
— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2025

“I’m honored to be here tonight,” Corso said after taking the stage. “I want to thank ESPN for this tribute and opportunity to do a job that I’ve loved for 38 years. My goal on TV was to bring a smile to everybody’s face. I hope I’ve done that. My wife, Betsy, and I have been married for 69 years. And I just wanted to thank her for loving me and allowing me to love her for all of those years.

“Thank you very much, ESPN, for this honor (and) tribute, and I appreciate everybody here. Thank you very much.”

Corso played college football at Florida State from 1953 to 1957 at the quarterback and cornerback position. He then went on to coach at Florida State, Maryland, Navy, Louisville, Northern Illinois, and the Orlando Renegades before making his transition to broadcasting. Across all of his 430 selections, Corso has a 286-144 record.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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