Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

David Pollack Makes His Thoughts On Lee Corso Extremely Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 9:00 PM ET

Last week, it was announced that Lee Corso would be retiring from ESPN's "College GameDay" after 38 years on the show.

Corso is the only original on-air member still involved with the program. "College GameDay" originally began as a studio show in 1987 and went on location for the first time in 1993, covering the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Corso gained prominence for his unique tradition of wearing the headgear of the mascot representing the team he predicted would win the featured game that week. However, this tradition actually started in 1996, when he wore "Brutus the Buckeye" headgear while picking Ohio State to beat the Penn State Nittany Lions, which they did with a score of 38-7.

David Pollack served as an analyst on the show from 2011-23. On his podcast, "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack," he discussed the kind of person Corso was behind the camera.

"Class personified," Pollack said. "Going on the road with Coach Corso was a lesson in humility every week. The way he treated people was second to none."

Pollack mentioned that when he was fired, Corso was one of the first people to reach out and offer words of encouragement. He also credited Corso with the show's evolution and pointed out that the reason why the show has gained widespread recognition and why celebrity guest pickers are eager to participate is largely due to Corso's influence.

Additionally, Pollack expressed his belief that Corso's final game will be a return to Ohio State, where the headgear selections originated, as the Buckeyes face the Texas Longhorns on August 30.

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

More must-reads: