One of the biggest college football personalities to ever grace the television screen is set to retire.

ESPN has announced that legendary College Game Day analyst Lee Corso will retire after 38 years with the network. Corso will make one final headgear pick on Saturday, August 30 – the Week 1 edition of College Game Day, at a location to be announced later in the spring.

The 89-year-old Corso has been a fixture on the program since its debut in 1987 and his first headgear pick took place on October 5, 1996, when he donned Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye mascot head in Columbus, Ohio. Corso’s weekly end-of-show pick during GameDay’s Saturday Selections has become a college football tradition. Corso has made 430 headgear picks all-time.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,” Corso said in a press release. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”

“ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years. They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay. Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans…truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.”

Lee Corso on ESPN’s College GameDay – By the Numbers:

430 mascot headgear selections all-time

286-144 record all-time (.665 win pct.)

Corso has donned the headgear of 69 different teams all-time

Most headgear selections by team:

Ohio State – 45

Alabama – 38

LSU – 25

Florida – 22

Oregon – 21

Milestone headgear picks for Corso:

1st: Oct. 5, 1996 – Ohio State (over Penn State) *

100th: Sept. 17, 2005 – Florida State (over Boston College) *

200th: Oct. 22, 2011 – Wisconsin (over Michigan State)

300th: Oct. 7, 2017 – TCU (over West Virginia) *

400th: Sept. 16, 2023 – Colorado (over Colorado State) *

* Correct picks

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee-Imagn Images