Former Hoosiers coach Lee Corso gets heartwarming shoutout from Kirk Herbstreit

The Indiana Hoosiers completed an undefeated season with a 27-21 victory over Miami in the National Championship on Monday night. No. 1 Indiana stunned the college football world with a 16-0 campaign. The Hoosiers stormed through the CFP, toppling No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon before taking down No. 10 Miami to capture the first national title in the program’s 138-year history.

But Kirk Herbstreit made sure fans remembered the role his former College GameDay co-host Lee Corso played in Indiana football’s first big win on the national stage. “I just want to shout out Lee Corso,” Herbstreit said following the Hoosiers’ victory on Monday night, per Awful Announcing. “I talked with him earlier today. He was completely dialed in and excited about what Indiana was doing. He was picking Indiana. He knew that they could pull this off and finish their season.

“And he said, ‘Hey, don’t forget, 1979. Our first bowl victory as a school. 1979, beat BYU.’ I said, ‘Coach, we’ll never forget that. We’ll never forget that,’” Herbstreit told the ESPN audience. “So, coach, if you’re out there, buddy, we love you. Congratulations to you, and all of the Hoosiers, and all your former teammates and players.”

Indiana wins first national title in perfect season

Corso is best known for his 38-year run on College GameDay, which included a weekly headgear selection segment. Corso would famously wear the mascot head of the team he picked to win.

Herbstreit joined him on the show in 1996 and the two worked together until Corso’s final College GameDay appearance in August 2025. However, before becoming an analyst for the ESPN college football program, Corso ran college football programs. He spent 10 seasons as Indiana’s head coach from 1973-1982.

Corso had two winning seasons with the Hoosiers, including the school’s 8-4 1979 campaign. That year he delivered Indiana’s first bowl victory, topping BYU 38-37 in the Holiday Bowl. Overall, Corso went 41-68-2 during his time as the Hoosiers’ head coach.

After Corso was fired, Indiana continued its losing ways for the next four decades. Then Curt Cignetti led a remarkable two-year turnaround. The head coach transformed the program after taking the reins in 2024. And Fernando Mendoza helped him reach the top of the college football mountain this season.

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