ESPN Lee Corso before the Orange Bowl.

For nearly four decades, Lee Corso has been a staple on ESPN's "College GameDay" every Saturday morning during the college football season, previewing the top games of the day.

He is "College GameDay" in many ways.

Relive Lee Corso's epic 'GameDay' moments in new book

But on Saturday, as the new college football season officially kicks off, the man widely considered national treasure is retiring from his post on the "College GameDay" desk after the show visits The Shoe in Columbus, Ohio for No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Ohio State.

An original member of "College GameDay" when it started out as an in-studio show out of ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, Corso has been part of nearly all of the show's "firsts" over the years. As the show's popularity and success grew, especially after it started traveling from one college football town to another each week in 1993, Corso's popularity with college football fans grew as well.

Corso became a fixture on the show in 1996, when he began his climb to "must-watch television" status with his legendary headgear picks in the final minutes of each week's show. Entering his final headgear pick on Saturday, Corso has made over 430 career picks and holds a career winning percentage of 66.5%.

The weekly headgear pick segment, however, just touches the surface of how Corso became synonymous with "College GameDay" and college football Saturdays, as he has delivered some all-time moments throughout the years by mixing in his signature "Not so fast, my friend" catchphrase into his commentary.

With that said, here's what to know on why Corso is retiring from the "College GameDay" desk:

Why is Lee Corso retiring?

ESPN announced back in April last year that after 38 seasons appearing on "College GameDay," that Week 1 of the 2025 season would be his final telecast.

The network then announced in June that his final show would be at Ohio State-Texas, a heartwarming, full-circle moment for Corso and the show, as he made his first headgear pick in Columbus back in October 1996, when "GameDay" went to Columbus for Ohio State-Penn State.

"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 statement in April of 2024. "I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement."

He added: "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."

As for the "why" behind Corso's retirement, that can be pointed to several things. Most notable of these has been his health, as he overcame a minor stroke, which was caused by the blockage of a small artery, in 2009 and has dealt with health issues over the last few seasons. Corso's recent health issues and battles have resulted in him not appearing on "College GameDay", some of which were for a notable length of time.

When did Lee Corso join 'College GameDay'?

While Corso first appeared on "College GameDay" in the 1987 college football season, he didn't become a full-time member of the ESPN pregame show until 1989.

How old is Lee Corso?

Corso recently turned 90 years old on August 7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Lee Corso retiring? Legendary 'College GameDay' host retiring after 38 seasons

Reporting by John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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