Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; ESPN analysts Kirk Herbstreit (left) and Lee Corso get ready to begin ESPN College Game Day, at the University of Texas on the South Mall, before a game between the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Lee Corso is absent from Saturday’s College GameDay in Atlanta.

After undergoing a minor procedure earlier this week, host Rece Davis assured viewers that Corso is “doing great” and will return for ESPN’s postseason coverage.

“[We] look forward to getting Lee back here in the postseason. Know he’s watching right now, and he’ll be with us throughout the day,” Davis said.

Still, at 89 years old, Corso’s inconsistent presence on the show has sparked questions about his future. ESPN executive Burke Magnus has already hinted at offseason conversations with Corso, though the decision ultimately rests with the longtime GameDay staple.

It’s been a season of ups and downs for Corso. Health-related absences have forced him to miss multiple episodes, and he’s had the occasional slip-up. But at the end of the day, the fact that he’ll turn 90 next August and is still a fixture on national TV is remarkable in itself.

What’s also remarkable is his moments of brilliance — like a perfect slate of picks in Week 1. Even with Nick Saban’s arrival alongside Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee and Desmond Howard, Corso’s value hasn’t entirely faded.

While a potential interaction with GameDay guest picker Timothée Chalamet will undoubtedly be missed, Corso’s health remains paramount. Hopefully, he’ll be back for Army-Navy next Saturday.

[College GameDay]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.