Pat McAfee just proved he'll never be Lee Corso's College Gameday replacement

Lee Corso walked away from College Gameday after nearly 40 years after an appearance in Columbus – ironically where he started his iconic headgear run – for the Ohio State-Texas game. The true end of an era was broadcast not just on ESPN, but FOX as well, which took a break from their Big Noon Kickoff to pay tribute to Corso. The former Navy and Indiana head coach was a pioneer in broadcast television, bringing the biggest college football game of the weekend to your weekend. He was a talking tailgate, an everyfan, and someone who understood what makes this sport great isn't necessarily the product on the field, but the campus quirks and rivalry games that have dated back generations. Every Saturday, we get to feel like we're 18 again. In Corso's case, that eventually became too tough of a responsibility to bear, and he left the set for the final time at the age of 90.

Many questions have been asked about ESPN's plans with Gameday since Corso's exit. Namely, would fans continue to watch at the same rate without the former coach? That remains to be seen, as ESPN hasn't released its ratings numbers in the shows after Corso. In his final appearance, the Worldwide Leader set records, reaching 5.1 million households. That'll be tough to replicate.

What ESPN's College Gameday can offer without Lee Corso

Without Corso, ESPN's Gameday set becomes more about analysis than entertainment. In his later years, Corso would often need the likes of Kirk Herbstreit's help to finish his thoughts and even make headgear picks. It was an incredible tribute to their relationship, as Corso had helped Herbstreit in his first few seasons on the show as well, albeit in a much different manner. These days, Herbstreit is one of the most-renowned announcers in college football and the NFL, as he's an analyst for Amazon's Prime's Thursday Night Football. Kirk also brings his dog, Peter, a golden retriever onto the set. Desmond Howard and Reece Davis are staples and likely not going anywhere.

The newbies of the group are Nick Saban and Pat McAfee. Saban has transitioned well to television since he retired from Alabama after the 2023-24 season. He's the best coach in college football history and, much to the surprise of television execs and fans, has some personality to go with his coaching resume.

The wild card is McAfee, a former NFL punter who has become one of the most eccentric personalities in sports media. McAfee hosts his own show during the week, and then appears on Gameday every Saturday. In the days post-Corso, he has been the quirky, excitable professional fan who can connect to students and viewers alike. He will never be Corso – no one can – but ESPN needs someone to break the ice much like Lee could. Right now, the experiment is still in its infancy.

Can Pat McAfee be what ESPN wants him to be?

There's no doubt McAfee brings a lot of energy to the Gameday set and his show on a daily basis. He has been worth the investment by ESPN in dollars and cents, even if it comes with a few unnecessary headaches. However, in terms of replacing some of what Corso brought to Gameday in terms of risk factor and humor, McAfee has...seemingly been trying too hard. Last week, McAfee felt the need to jump into a pool to pick Miami – a monologue which took over two minutes of air time.

This Saturday in Happy Valley, McAfee showed up to Penn State's white out wearing...a cream-colored suit? Is that really the best he can do?

McAfee is from the Pittsburgh area and went to West Virginia. He surely has ties to the great state of Pennsylvania. While I wouldn't pretend to run a costume department...what're we doing here? The rest of Gameday's set got the memo, and didn't miss a chance to relate to the Nittany Lions fanbase in a way Corso would've loved.

It's just further proof that McAfee alone cannot replace a television icon. ESPN's best bet is to do so by committee, and let time do its trick.