Fresh off of his first appearance on the College Gameday in Week 1, Lee Corso is back and ready to make another pick in Week 2 when the crew heads to Ann Arbor for a battle between two college football heavyweights, No. 10 Michigan and No. 4 Texas.
Corso, 89, has been an analyst on College Gameday since its first season on the air back in 1987. And over the years, the former college and professional football coach with 28 years of experience pacing the sidelines has become as synonymous with a Saturday morning as a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast.
College Gameday first began broadcasting in an ESPN studio, but in 1993 began traveling to different schools, as they do currently. And, that's when the show, with the backdrop of rabid college football fans holding up witty signs and with plenty of big-name personalities lending their analysis, really took off.
But Corso is the shining star of College Gameday. As part of the show's grand finale, Corso, with fans of the host school roaring in his ear, makes his pick on the featured game of the week, teasing his selection for suspense, then announcing the pick by donning an oversized mascot head or football helmet, to the delight or outrage of the mob behind him.
It makes for excellent and highly entertaining television. There's simply no better way to start your Saturday if you're a college football fan.
If you're seeking to know Corso's pick for the Michigan-Texas game, how the pick went down or everything in between, look no further than this article. First, let's dive into the matchup.
Week 2: The Matchup and Its Significance
Featured Game of the Week: No. 4 Texas at No. 10 Michigan
It's a battle of two college football heavyweights in Ann Arbor! Both these teams are fresh off of appearances in last year's College Football Playoff, which ultimately saw Michigan secure its first national championship victory since 1997. But while each of these teams looks a bit different in 2024, the results for both were largely the same in Week 1.
No. 10 Michigan now has Jim Harbaugh successor Sherrone Moore pacing the sidelines as the program's new head coach and former walk-on quarterback Davis Warren under center. In the duo's first game of the 2024 season, the Wolverines hiccuped in the first half before pulling away in the second for a (somewhat) stress-free, 30-10 win over Fresno State. But now comes the real test.
A talented Texas team that features the same Coach-QB combo (Steve Sarkisian and Quinn Ewers) that led the program to the Playoff) comes to Ann Arbor fresh off of a 52-0 drubbing of Colorado State.
Ewers, a former Ohio State transfer, made headlines at SEC Media Days in July when he referred to Michigan as "That Team Up North," a common Buckeyes talking point. Force of habit or intentional dig? It's not clear, but it might just provide the Wolverines with some added juice on the road.
Looking big picture, the game certainly has implications for later on in the season. Texas would all but secure its spot in the expanded College Football Playoff with a victory. Meanwhile, Michigan, with games against fellow Top 25ers USC, Oregon and Ohio State still remaining on the schedule, would encourage its College Football Playoff hopes with a signature win at home against a non-conference power.
That said, let's dive into Corso's history with these two blue bloods.
Lee Corso’s Past Picks for Michigan, Texas
Corso brings an impressive 276-139 career record into Saturday's show. This will be Michigan's 40th appearance on College Gameday, the third-most of any team. Corso has picked 30 games involving Michigan, and has a 20-10 record in those contests.
Meanwhile, this will be the Longhorns' 22nd appearance on College Gameday. Corso has picked 21 of those games involving the Longhorns, compiling a 12-9 record.
Michigan and Texas have met just one time in college football history back in the 2005 Rose Bowl, which is regarded as one of the greatest bowl games ever played. Longhorns star Vince Young outdueled then-Michigan freshman Chad Henne to lead Texas to a 38-37 victory.
Well, Saturday was Corso's first time picking a Texas-Michigan matchup, and he did not disappoint.
The Headgear Pick: Who Did Lee Corso Choose?
The Moment of Truth
Corso, like a quarterback playing in a hostile environment, quieted the Gameday desk, then perfectly set the stage for his potential pick of Michigan.
"Michigan has won 23 straight here in Michigan Stadium," Corso said. "Michigan has the nation's longest winning streak at 16."
Corso then paused before uttering the next sentence.
Corso’s Chosen Team
Coach Corso is picking the Longhorns to leave the Big House with a win! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/gdyrgPJPX2
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 7, 2024
"It's the perfect place for Texas to beat 'em," Corso said as he donned headgear of Bevo, the Longhorns' beloved mascot, doing the school's signature "Hook 'Em Horns' celebration in the process.
It made for a memorable Corso pick, as the College Gameday star even hit celebrity picker Michael Phelps with his signature "Not so fast," line.
Lee Corso hitting @MichaelPhelps with the iconic “not so fast my friend”
— Bea Panitz (@beapanitzESPN) September 7, 2024
This is my Super Bowl 🏊🏻♀️🫱🏻🫲🏼🏈 pic.twitter.com/VQtMTZkhTW
Corso’s Headgear Pick Record To This Point in the Season
Corso is 1-0 this season. He correctly predicted that Notre Dame would defeat Texas A&M on the road last week, and the Fighting Irish indeed pulled off a 23-13 victory.
More of the Latest Around College Football
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Did Lee Corso Pick Today? Week 2 College GameDay Headgear Choice.
