Legendary ESPN Gameday analyst Lee Corso wore headgear for a game involving Arizona three times. After 38 years working for ESPN Corso will retire after College Gameday has their first show of the 2025 season on Saturday in Columbus for Ohio State and Texas.
Arizona lost all three games that Corso wore headgear for on Gameday that involved the Wildcats. Corso first wore headgear on ESPN Gameday for a game involving Arizona when he picked Penn State over the Wildcats in the 1999 season opener.
Arizona entered the 1999 season ranked third nationally. The Wildcats finished the 1998 season 11-1 and fourth nationally, which remains the highest ranking to end the season in program history. High expectations entering 1999 were quickly muted by a 41-7 loss at number four Penn State in the season opener.
Corso next wore headgear in a game that Arizona played in 2009 versus Oregon. Corso chose the Ducks. The loss to Oregon was one of the most heartbreaking in Arizona history. Oregon scored a game-tying touchdown with six seconds left and eventually won 44-41 in overtime to prevent Arizona from clinching a Pac-10 title.
Corso wore the head of Wilbur the Wildcat for the only time when he picked Arizona over UCLA in 2015. Arizona and UCLA were both 3-0 entering the 2015 game. UCLA led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter and outscored the Wildcats 28-7 in the second quarter to take a 42-14 halftime lead.
The game was never close in the second half and UCLA rolled to a 56-30 lead. UCLA outgained Arizona 497-468 but three Wildcat turnovers to none for UCLA was the difference. Arizona finished the 2015 season with seven wins and six losses that included a win over New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl.
The limited success of the Arizona football program made the Wildcats a rare participant during ESPN College Gameday in football. Arizona has had frequent appearances for the ESPN College Basketball Gameday. No one on the basketball Gameday compares to Corso. Saturday is the end of a College Football era.