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Southwest honors Lee Corso before flight to last College GameDay

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Dan Benton | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 10:29 AM ET

The legendary Lee Corso will retire from ESPN’s “College GameDay” following his final headgear pick on Saturday morning in Columbus, Ohio, ahead of a game between Texas and Ohio State.

But even before that emotional moment unfolds, Corso was appropriately honored by Southwest as he prepared to board his final flight.

Corso, 90, was embraced by the boarding agent and given a standing ovation by his fellow passengers.

Southwest Airlines honored Lee Corso before he boarded for Columbus to do his final College GameDay.

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“On November 18th, 2021, I saw Coach sitting in the Southwest area, and I asked him to give me this picture, and I have it right here,” the gate attendant said. “I’m going to present this to him, so that he always has it as a remembrance that he is boarding his last flight with Southwest to Columbus for ‘College GameDay.’ Coach started with ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ in October 1996, Lee Corso made his first headgear pick. A tradition he is famous for, and a game at Ohio Stadium.

“Coach has been married to his wife, Betsy, since 1957. He has four kids and ten grandchildren. Coach’s words on ‘College GameDay’ are ‘not so fast, my friend.’ On behalf of us here at Southwest, we’d like to recognize coach, and if you’d please stand and give him a round of applause for everything he’s done for us.”

Corso was presented with a bottle of champagne and jokingly asked if he could open it on the plane, drawing laughter from other passengers.

Since its premiere in 1987, Corso has been a mainstay on “College GameDay” and earned nine Sports Emmy Awards.

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

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