Lee Corso absent from College GameDay for Championship Week

Rece Davis updates why Lee Corso wasn't able to appear on ESPN's College GameDay as college football embarks on Championship Saturday.

Lee Corso wasn't able to appear on ESPN's College GameDay as college football kicks off Championship Week / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN’s College GameDay helped kick off Championship Saturday as college football embarks on its most important games of the 2024 season, but legendary analyst Lee Corso wasn’t on hand to make his famous headgear picks today.

Corso had a procedure done over the last week and wasn’t able to make the trip to Atlanta for College GameDay, host Rece Davis said on Saturday.

But all is well with Corso on the health front, and he’s expected to return to the College GameDay desk next to Kirk Herbstreit as college football’s postseason rolls along.

“Our good friend Lee Corso had a procedure this week,” Davis said.

“He’s doing great. We look forward to getting Lee back during the postseason. I know he’s watching right now, and he’ll be with us throughout the day.”

Corso has been a feature of every college football Saturday with his opinions and game predictions, most notably the "headgear pick" he makes before games.

After some health issues, he missed five shows during the 2022 football season and is no longer featured for the entire three-hour program.

More: Herbstreit on how his friendship with Corso has changed

A featured analyst on the GameDay program since its inception in 1987, Corso suffered a stroke in 2009, suffering partial paralysis, and requiring three days of intensive care followed by a week's stay in the hospital.

The stroke impacted Corso's speech, as he was unable to talk for a month after the incident. Since returning to the air, he has been scripting many of his appearances on the program.

As to where Corso stands with regards to the future of ESPN's College GameDay program, network president of content Burke Magnus said he will speak with the host after this season.

“Listen, I think we’re going to do what we’ve done now for a couple of years running, which is we’re going to have a conversation with him after the season, see where things are,” Magnus said.

He added: “We’re going to get through the playoff this year, let everybody decompress and then we have some time to figure out what we’re going to do for next season.”

Corso will turn 90 in August.

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