It’s difficult to imagine College GameDay without Lee Corso, but for a few minutes during Saturday morning’s show in Durham, N.C., football fans got an uncomfortable glimpse at what that reality might look like.
As the ESPN crew began to make its picks for the day’s slate, Corso was bizarrely absent from the set, and his chair remained empty for several minutes. Although guest picker and Duke alum Ken Jeong joked about the former coach going missing and Kirk Herbstreit filled in the gaps by reading off Corso’s selections, real concern started to emerge among viewers on social media.
Thankfully, all is well.
After Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Jeong all selected Duke to upset Notre Dame in Saturday’s prime-time matchup, the camera cut over to Corso, who was marching up the steps of the GameDay set wearing a full leprechaun costume. That made his pick for the featured game crystal clear, but he also decided to dance an Irish jig on set in front of Jeong and the Blue Devils crowd just to rub things in.
Coach is picking Notre Dame and @kenjeong wasn't having it 🤣#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/MrRbcPGKyv
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 30, 2023
Although the bit proved to be clever, and rather effective, observers on social media grew extremely concerned for a few minutes when Corso was nowhere to be found. Given the 88-year-old’s various health battles in recent years, the concern was understandable.
Ummm... where'd Lee Corso go? pic.twitter.com/HrPktZn0Nl
— Meg ♡ (@_TheMeg__) September 30, 2023
Update: Lee Corso is JUST FINE!🙄🙏🏻
— Trevor Thacker (@trethack24) September 30, 2023
Was SOOO RELIEVED when I saw him come out!!!🙌🏻
That just struck me as weird?🤷🏼♂️
You pulled a FAST ONE on us, Mr. Corso…🫣
Anyhoo, good, good! https://t.co/jvwp0QFLqf
That was scary seeing Lee Corso disappear in the middle of the gameday picks, never been happier to see an old man walk on a set in a leprechaun outfit 😂
— Elliot Hicks (@ehicks39) September 30, 2023
Alright, who else searched “Lee Corso” on Twitter after he disappeared to see if he was okay just to see him reappear dressed as a leprechaun?
— Cautiously Optimistic Texas Fan (@Crenshaw78) September 30, 2023
Lee corso had to get dressed up, whew i was scared
— Jimmy (@j23_young) September 30, 2023
Lee Corso: pic.twitter.com/RarLo5U9hD
— Nick Perkins (@NPerkins96) September 30, 2023
College Football fans when Lee Corso came back on screen pic.twitter.com/lUb7ppWudG
— Football Stephen (@SHGrove90) September 30, 2023
good god almighty, i thought something happened to lee corso
— Ainslie Lee (@ainslielee_) September 30, 2023
but he’s just a clown, all is well
