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Kirk Herbstreit wears Lee Corso-lined blazer for his last 'College Gameday'

ESPN's star college football analyst had one last, amazing tribute to his mentor and dear friend as the broadcasting legend says goodbye.
Matthew Graham|
Lee Corso, middle, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay for his final show prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.
Lee Corso, middle, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay for his final show prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The emotional tributes have been pouring in for Lee Corso, but one person knows he owes him a forever debt of gratitude.

Kirk Herbstreit.

ESPN's No. 1 college football analyst and star of "College GameDay" is saying goodbye to his mentor and dear friend, as the 90-year-old broadcasting legend dons his last headgear on the Worldwide Leader in Sports' most valuable non-live sports franchise at Ohio State before their Texas showdown, which is fittingly where the headgear tradition really started.

RELATED: ESPN shamefully makes Lee Corso fly Southwest for final 'College Gameday'

Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Ryan Day
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day presents Lee Corso with a helmet beside Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To mark the special occasion, which Corso fantastically wore a tuxedo fit, Herbstreit, 56, had a custom blazer made with a Lee Corso inner lining with photos of the pair through the years, working together for nearly 30 years.

RELATED: New ESPN star Katie Feeney flaunts lavish NYC apartment for 23rd birthday

Here's a closer view of the custom lining.

Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN

It'll be an emotional day for everyone on the "GameDay" set, but especially for Herbstreit, who had a moving toast last night.

“You just lighten everybody up," Herbstreit said. "You lifted everybody up. You’ve done that, I’m sure as a coach, but our experience with you, for me the last 30 years, I’ve never seen you have a bad day. If you have a bad day, you never really show you’re having a bad day. You’re always positive. You’re the backbone of what this show has been about. We’re going to celebrate you the way you should be.”

It's a great way to say goodbye, and Herbstreit, who makes a reported $18 million between his ESPN and Amazon Prime NFL Thursday Night Football duties, knows who to thank most.

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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