There’s always been this idea floating around that Lee Corso was more entertainer than analyst when it came to his headgear picks on ESPN College GameDay. You know the take—“He’s just there for the laughs.” Or, “He always gets it wrong anyway.” But if you actually look at his record, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Corso’s picks weren’t just fun television moments (though they definitely were that). They were also surprisingly accurate. Over the course of his career, he made 430 mascot headgear selections—and he was right about 286 of them. That’s not a coin flip. That’s a 66.5% success rate. Is that perfect? No. But, it's certainly better than what many of his detractors might say.
And yet, people remember the few that didn’t go his way. Maybe it’s because when he missed, it was usually on a bold pick. Or maybe it’s because the antics that surrounded the selection—like when he held a baby alligator to pick Florida or went full Benjamin Franklin for a patriotic call—sometimes overshadowed the football part of it.
But make no mistake, Lee Corso knew what he was doing.
This wasn’t a guy just throwing darts at a board. He was a coach for decades before joining ESPN. He played the game. He understood schemes, tendencies, and atmospheres better than most. And while he knew how to put on a show, he also did his homework.
Corso’s headgear segment officially kicked off in 1995 at an Ohio State game. That’s when the tradition really began—though he’d already been on GameDay since 1987. Over the years, he picked every major team you can think of, but none more than the Ohio State Buckeyes. He threw on the Brutus head 45 times over the years—more than any other mascot.
It’s a good reminder that Corso’s picks weren’t just for show. Even when he had health challenges—like after his 2009 stroke—he still came back and kept making those calls with the same passion fans had grown to love.
Now, as Corso prepares for his final show on College GameDay, it’s a good time to appreciate just how good he’s been. Yes, he’s a legend because of his personality and his iconic catchphrases. But the numbers speak for themselves.
More times than not, Lee Corso was right. And that might be the most underrated part of his career.