The Ohio State football program and College GameDay are inextricably linked. Ever since the show first started, it seems like there is at least one show per year that involves the Buckeyes. Ohio State has played in a lot of great games over the years, and GameDay goes to the best game every week.
Lee Corso is the heartbeat of College GameDay. Every show since 1996, he has been donning the headgear of the team that he picks to win at whatever site they are visiting. That tradition started when he picked the Ohio State Buckeyes by putting on the Brutus head back in 1996.
Corso has announced that Week 1 in 2025 will be his final show. It makes sense then that College GameDay will be in Columbus for his final show as the Buckeyes host Texas in what is clearly the best game of Week 1. Corso will now end things where they pretty much all began.
Lee Corso will have a chance to pick the Ohio State Buckeyes in his final College Gameday appearance
There is a very good chance that Corso will don Brutus one final time when he visits Labor Day weekend. The Buckeyes are the defending national champions, and they get to play Texas at home. Ohio State is the last team that Texas played, as well.
Even if Corso doesn't necessarily believe that the Buckeyes will win, Corso might just put Brutus on to have a full circle moment. He was the first mascot head that he put on, so he might as well be the last. That would be a special moment for all Ohio State football fans.
It's unclear if the headgear tradition will continue once Corso leaves. This is probably something that should go away once he retires. It certainly shouldn't be something that Pat McAfee starts doing.
The Buckeyes are going to try to do everything they can to make Corso right if he does pick Brutus. They want to make him right in what will be his final television appearance. it would certainly be a cool moment if they were able to pull that off.