Saturday is Lee Corso’s day.

Literally, as the city of Bloomington officially named Saturday, Oct. 26, “Coach Lee Corso Day,” as revealed to Corso by Mayor Kerry Thomson on Saturday during ESPN’s “College GameDay.”

REQUIRED READING: Lee Corso, 1979 Holiday Bowl GameDay reunion ‘means the world’ to IU’s first bowl winners

Saturday will mark only the second time in Corso’s 37 years on “GameDay” that he returns to Bloomington, as Indiana Football (7-0) is undefeated under first-year coach Curt Cignetti. Corso was honored with his return on Saturday, when “GameDay” reunited a part of him with his former players and coaches prior to the Hoosiers’ game against Washington on Saturday.

It was an emotional scene for Corso, who fought back tears as Saturday was named a holiday in his honor. He was surrounded by members of the Holiday Bowl-winning team, which went 8-4 and had Corso’s best record during his tenure at Indiana from 1973-82.

The 89-year-old “GameDay” panelist also wore a retro Indiana jersey on Saturday, one identical to the one he often wore during his coaching career with the Hoosiers.

Cignetti also told a story during his appearance on the show when Corso sent a letter to his family when Cignetti’s father, Frank Cignetti Sr., was battling cancer. Cignetti Sr. was the head coach at West Virginia and IUP from 1976-79 and 1986-2005, respectively.

“Lee sent a holy cross that he said in the letter had special healing powers, and which sat on (Frank Cignetti Sr.’s) dresser the entire time from surgery until his recovery. And he beat cancer and lived another 43 years. years.”

Here’s a look at every tribute from Corso on Saturday’s “College GameDay”:

Lee Corso Honored at ‘College GameDay’

Here’s a compilation of Corso’s segments on Saturday’s ESPN’s “College GameDay”:

It probably won’t be a surprise who Corso will pick during “GameDay”‘s game predictions when it’s Indiana’s turn.

This article originally appeared in The Daily Herald: Indiana honors Lee Corso during emotional ‘College GameDay’ segment