Lee Corso and the rest of the 'College GameDay' set‘College GameDay’ set (Photo via Imagn Images)
ESPN has made a major announcement regarding their Week 1 presentation of ‘College GameDay,’ which will mark Lee Corso’s final appearance, with the veteran sportscaster set to retire.

Corso’s career will come full circle as his final appearance will take him back to where it all started.

The show has announced that it will set up in Columbus, Ohio, on August 30 for its first featured game of the season, a non-conference clash between reigning national champions Ohio State and Texas.

“We’re kicking off College GameDay with a trip to Texas-Ohio State, as we celebrate Lee Corso’s final show back where he first made headgear history!” ‘College GameDay’ disclosed on Tuesday.

Corso, 89, will call curtains on his career with ESPN after a distinguished 38-year tenure at the network.

Lee Corso To Make The Show’s Final Headgear Pick

Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler on College Gameday setLee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler on College Gameday set (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The show set to host Corso’s swansong will also feature additional special programming.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,” he said in a press release. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”

The veteran broadcaster will also turn 90 on August 7.

Lee Corso was especially popular for his headgear picks, something which is likely to be a thing of the past after August 30. The Illinois native will make his final pick ahead of the showdown between the Buckeyes and Longhorns, and that could be it.

Nick Saban, who joined the show last season, has already made it clear that he does not want to take over as the headgear picker once Corso leaves, saying, “I hope not” when asked whether he will pick it up during an appearance on ‘The Rick Burgess Show.’

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’