How Often Did Lee Corso Pick Penn State? Celebrating ESPN's Retiring Analyst

Corso will make his final headgear pick on the Aug. 30 edition of ESPN's College GameDay. Here's how he picked the Nittany Lions over nearly four decades.

Lee Corso talks on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN's Lee Corso made his first College GameDay headgear pick in 1996 at the Penn State-Ohio State game, where he donned the Buckeye mascot headgear (and was right). Over nearly 40 years, Corso has been a fixture of college football and a presence at Penn State. ESPN announced Thursday that the beloved analyst will retire after the Aug. 30 edition of College GameDay, where he'll make his final headgear pick.

“Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. "Lee is one of the most influential and beloved figures in the history of college football and our ESPN team will celebrate his legendary career during his final College GameDay appearance this August.”

According to ESPN, Corso has made 430 mascot headgear picks in 38 years beginning with that first involving the Nittany Lions. He has compiled 286-144 record, picking Ohio State 45 times, followed by Alabama (38) and LSU (25). Corso, who will turn 90 in August, helped ESPN brand College GameDay across generations through his folksy style, royal wave and entertaining catchphrase, "Not so fast, my friend."

"Coach Corso has had an iconic run in broadcasting, and we’re all lucky to have been around to witness it," ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said in a statement. "He has taught me so much throughout our
time together, and he’s been like a second father to me. It has been my absolute honor to have the best seat in the house to watch Coach put on that mascot head each week.”

Since that first Penn State-Ohio State game, Corso has donned the headgear 25 more times for games involving Penn State. Most recently, he picked Notre Dame over Penn State in the 2025 Orange Bowl, wearing a green hat and jacket instead of headgear.

As tracked by gamedaycole.com, which has catalogued the headgear picks over 38 years, Corso hasn't always favored the Nittany Lons in his predictions. In 26 games involving Penn State, Corso has has picked the Nittany Lions to win seven times. He was 5-2 in those games, including correct picks of Penn State over Auburn in 2021, over Michigan in 2017 and over Arizona in 1999.

Corso is 20-6 all-time in headgear games involving Penn State. He picked Penn State over Ohio State once, in 2018, a game the Buckeyes won 27-26.

“It has been among the greatest joys and privileges of my life to work with, laugh with, and learn from Lee Corso for more than 35 incredible years,” fomer College GameDay host Chris Fowler said in a statement. "His courage and resilience have inspired millions. Through his groundbreaking work on College GameDay, Lee has been an indelible force in the growth of college football’s popularity. He’s a born entertainer and singular television talent. But at his heart he’ll always be a coach, with an abiding love and respect for the game and the people who play it.”

Corso will make his final appearance on the Aug. 30 edition of College GameDay. ESPN said it will announce the location this spring.