Lee Corso donned a tuxedo Saturday morning, saying he wanted “to go out in style” for his final “College GameDay” broadcast.
Just a couple segments in and hours before predicting the day’s winners, the legendary commentator forecast LSU as his final national championship pick of his illustrious career with the long-running ESPN show.
Corso projected the Tigers to beat Clemson in the semifinals — in what would be a rematch of Saturday evening’s season opener — and Penn State in the title game.
“LSU, the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal (class) and a veteran quarterback,” Corso said. “Now, the final four, two of them: LSU vs. Penn State for the national championship. OK, great game and battle, but the winner: LSU. LSU wins the national championship.”
Late in the show, cohosts Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit all took Clemson to beat LSU to open the season.
Corso doubled-down with the Bayou Bengals.
“I don’t agree,” he said. “My pick to win a national championship is LSU. LSU Tigers update the Tigers.”
Corso joined ESPN in 1987 as one of the original cohosts of the network’s new show.
In the nearly four decades that have followed, the former Florida State player and Louisville and Indiana coach has been critical to and synonymous with “College GameDay” becoming a core component of college football culture — particularly since broadcasts began hitting the road for big games in 1993 and full-time in 1995.
The Cicero, Ill., native’s showmanship when making his weekly game picks, including donning the mascot headgear of a big game’s predicted winner, has made the segment a signature of Saturday mornings in the fall.
Fittingly, Corso’s tradition of “headgear picks” began Oct. 5, 1996, as he put on the Brutus Buckeye head as part of his forecast that Ohio State would beat Penn State that day in Columbus, Ohio.
He has picked 69 different teams with headgear since then — none more than the Buckeyes, with whom he bookended the tradition Saturday in Columbus as he predicted No. 3 Ohio State to beat No. 1 Texas.
“This is one of the easiest picks I’ve ever made. Texas is loaded. Texas is No. 1. They have a Manning at quarterback. Poor Ohio State. They ain’t got a chance,” he said setting up his classic misdirection, before grabbing the Brutus headgear: “Gimme my first love!”
Corso’s all-time record in headgear picks was 286-144 (66.5%) entering Saturday with a winning percentage less than 50% in just three of his 29 seasons and less than 60% in just eight of the 29 seasons.
LSU and Mike the Tiger have been his third-most frequent headgear prediction (25) behind only Ohio State (46) and Alabama (38).
And, on Saturday, the Tigers became his final national championship prediction.
LEE CORSO’S FINAL GAMEDAY PICKS
Syracuse at No. 24 Tennessee: Tennessee
No. 8 Alabama at Florida State: Florida State (Corso’s alma mater)
Virginia Tech at No. 13 South Carolina: South Carolina
No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami: Miami
No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson: LSU
No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State: Ohio State
Superdog: Florida State +14.5 vs. Alabama
National championship: LSU over Penn State