Assembling the best ESPN College GameDay cast of all time

If you're a college football fan, chances are you've watched ESPN College GameDay, and probably have it as one of your Saturday rituals during the college football season.

ESPN's flagship pregame show, which started off as a small studio production back in 1987, has become a national phenomenon and is one of the most highly-viewed programs in the nation every fall. It's also the longest running football pregame show in the history of the game.

Related: How ESPN College GameDay became a national institution

The show went from a few members at the studio desk to a cast of 10 or more regular members and a show that devours three hours of the morning time slot on ESPN.

Through the years, the show has seen a lot of cast members come and go. Some opting for other, bigger opportunities, some victim of ESPN budget cuts (we miss you, David Pollack), and others just simply weren't the right fit.

With the retirement of fan-favorite analyst Lee Corso after Week 1 of the 2025 season happening, it seems appropriate to give a take on who would make the most incredible College GameDay cast of all.

Current ESPN College GameDay Cast

• Rece Davis: (Host, 2015–present)
• Lee Corso: (Analyst, 1987–present; retiring after the August 30, 2025 broadcast)
• Kirk Herbstreit: (Analyst, 1996–present)
• Desmond Howard: (Analyst, 2005–present)
• Pat McAfee: (Contributor, 2019–2020; Analyst, 2022–present)
• Nick Saban: (Analyst, 2024–present)
• Jen Lada: (Reporter, 2016–present)
• Jess Sims: (Reporter, 2022–present)
• Pete Thamel: (Insider, 2022–present)
• Steve "Stanford Steve" Coughlin: (Sports Betting Analyst, 2023–present)

This current cast is among the best ESPN has had, and they have great chemistry while still maintaining individuality among its members. Once Corso officially retires after the August 30 show, host Rece Davis has vowed to make it his personal crusade to make sure nobody ever does the headgear picks again.

"I think I'm going to have to tackle anybody that tries to do a headgear pick other than Lee Corso," Davis said in a CNN interview earlier this year. "That, to me, is his signature moment and it should stay with him, in my judgment. I will fight very hard not to be overruled or vetoed on that. Many people tell me it's something they look forward to every week and I think that it's his, and his alone."

If we could assemble the perfect ESPN College GameDay Cast

Honorable Mentions: Marty Smith (Contributor), Desmond Howard (Analyst), Erin Andrews (Reporter)

Host: Rece Davis (Current)

This one isn't even up for debate. Davis is the unquestionable voice (and hair) of the CGD experience. His pipes are undeniably some of the best in the business, and as a moderator, he's always there to make sure things don't go off the rails. He comes across as genuine, even folksy at times, and knows how to set up the crowd.

Analyst: Lee Corso (Current)

If Rece Davis is a given, then that goes double for the coach. Lee Corso is so loved and admired by his colleagues, contemporaries, and fans, that his retirement may rival that of beloved athlete farewells like Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan. The show has become synonymous with his headgear picks, and he will be an irreplaceable icon once his final show airs in August.

Analyst: Kirk Herbstreit (Current)

Love him or hate him, Kirk Herbstreit brings the goods every week and is never shy about his opinions. There may not be a cast member past or present who has been so open with his emotions (or his pets) than Herbie. Besides being a top-notch analyst, he's also Corso's unofficial sidekick, and the interactions between those two longtime friends are always a joy to see.

Analyst: Beano Cook (1987-1990)

You can't assemble a perfect CGD cast without "The Pope of College Football" as Cook was known. A master storyteller with an incredible memory for the history of the game, Cook could not only break down the game with the best of them, but he could tell you nearly every similar instance of that particular type of play since the leather helmet days. Loved by his peers, he was a fantastic part of the show.

Analyst: David Pollack (2011–2022)

You always need someone on a show such as CGD to be able to dig deep into the Xs and Os and really know how to break down a film. A former player who was such a student of the game, his skills on the field seemed almost uncanny. Such a man is David Pollack, and he was arguably the best film analyst the show had ever seen. He was also versatile enough to do lighthearted segments like, "You Had One Job" without missing a beat.

Reporter/Contributor: Maria Taylor (2017–2020)

There's a reason NBC was quick to sign Maria Taylor when she made the decision to leave ESPN. Taylor is one of the hardest working people in the business, and her ability to draw out players and coaches while doing interviews is nearly legendary. Her exit was a huge loss for the show.

Reporter/Contributor: Samantha Ponder (2012-2016)

Everyone knew Samantha Ponder was headed for bigger and better things, Eventually leaving for a place on Sunday NFL Countdown, the five years spent on CGD were some of the brightest in her career. Much like Taylor, she could captivate during interviews and could amp up crowd engagement to a fever pitch when needed. She was truly a bright spot on the show.

Contributor: Tom Rinaldi (2011-2020)

Nobody, but nobody, could make the country ugly-cry the way Tom Rinaldi could. His weekly segments highlighting an emotional story revolving around a coach or player involved in that week's game had everyone reaching for the Kleenex box. While production on his segments was absolutely superb, it was Rinaldi's storytelling that really made the difference.

Contributor/Betting Analyst: Chris "Bear" Fallica (1996-2022)

"Bear" had an interesting journey at ESPN. From an off-camera research producer feeding needed information to the crew, to a voice giving picks on the games during the show, and finally having his own semi-segments complete with props. Fallica was the Everyman on CGD - just an average Joe who had a passion for the game and researching numbers, and he parlayed that into quite the career. He was jovial on set, bringing a needed element of fun at times.

This was a difficult -- at best -- list to compile with so many talented people taking the stage over the years. There hasn't been anyone "bad" on the show (although some would argue differently about Pat McAfee) but these nine legends were the absolute stars.