Oregon Ducks Pay Special Tribute To Lee Corso Tribute in Autzen Stadium

On Saturday, the college football world celebrated the final ESPN College GameDay broadcast for coach and broadcast personality Lee Corso, who chose his final "headgear pick" (the Ohio State Buckeyes) to cap off a 38 year tenure with the iconic morning sports show.

Across the nation, college teams paid tribute Corso with presentations during their season opening games. The Oregon Ducks joined in on the love for the coach, with a special video from Corso's admitted "best friend": the Oregon Duck mascot.

The video aired at Autzen Stadium as the Ducks played the Montana State Bobcats as the two-minute timeout secured Oregon's dominant 59-13 victory.

Lee Corso holds a duck alongside The Duck after picking the Ducks as the winner of Saturday s top-10 matchup against the UCLA Bruins on ESPN s College GameDay at the University of Oregon. News College Gameday | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Not so Fast, a Familiar Face Returns to Thank Corso

In the video that aired at Autzen, and also posted the @oregonfootball's Instagram page, Coach Corso's best moments with the Ducks combined together. Corso wore the Duck head as his "pick" 21 times, with 11 of those choices made on Oregon's campus in Eugene.

One of those moments included an off-color comment from Corso to a young Oregon fan in 2012. The five-year-old at the time, named Braeden, reappeared for Oregon's tribute video to thank the 90-year-old broadcaster for the viral moment, 13 years later.

"Not so fast my friend," the now adult Braeden said in the tribute video, "Thank you Coach Corso."

Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated collected some of Coach Corso's best moments when the show announced Corso's retirement in August.

During the two minute timeout before the game ended, the Ducks did a touching tribute for Coach Lee Corso.

The video ended with “Love you too, Coach.”#oregonducks pic.twitter.com/4vQIdyCCJq
— Ally Osborne (@allysosborne) August 31, 2025

The Duck sends his well wishes to Lee Corso during ESPN’s “College GameDay” Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Duck Also Posted a Statement for his Friend, Corso

Accompanying the touching video, The Duck mascot also posted a heartfelt note for Corso.

"Coach, Saturdays won't be the same without you," The Duck wrote in his statement. "You've truly earned every sleep in, every golf swing, and every big ole iced tea by the pool. Thanks for always believing in me, for all the laughs, and for a million memories. I'm really gunna miss you! But I promise I'll always wave to you when I'm on TV. So here is to you and you 'not so fast' retirement my friend! Love ya buddy!"

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💚 @TheOregonDuck pic.twitter.com/1mmzUOcdWk
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) August 30, 2025

There till the end

The Duck also attended Coach Corso's final College Gameday show held in Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State and Texas game on Saturday.

Last time Corso made a headgear pick involving Oregon, he chose the Ohio State Buckeyes to win over the Ducks at the 2025 Rose Bowl Game. The Buckeyes won 41-21.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Lee Corso (center) wears a Buckeyes mascot head as Pat McAfee (left) and Kirk Herbstreit (right) watch at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The last time Corso chose the Ducks to win in 2022 with guest picker Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon took down the then No. 9 ranked UCLA Bruins 45-30. During that episode, the coach had some sentimental words for his "favorite" mascot.

"It's hard to think of anything else except I love you," Corso said to The Duck as the feathered friend put his hand on his heart. "We've had some great times, haven't we?"

The video aired in Autzen Stadium on Saturday officially aired The Ducks response: "I love you too, Coach."

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