Lee Corso’s nearly four-decade run on ESPN’s “College GameDay” is coming to an end.

Corso, the longtime ESPN broadcaster and folksy former coach widely known for his endearing expressions and elaborate headgear picks, is set to retire after a career with the show that began in 1987, ESPN announced Thursday. His final broadcast will be Aug. 30 — Week 1 of the 2025 college football season — and the network said additional programming to celebrate Corso is also planned.

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

Corso, who turns 90 in August, began his popular headgear segment in October 1996 at a game at Ohio State. Since then, he has gone 286-144 in 430 selections wearing everything from helmets and mascot heads to dressing up as the Fighting Irish leprechaun from Notre Dame, the Stanford tree and historic figures James Madison and Benjamin Franklin.

NCAA panel gives final OK to fake injury rule >> The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel gave final approval to a rule designed to discourage football players from faking injuries to stop the game clock, the NCAA announced.Beginning this season, if medical personnel go onto the field to evaluate a player with an apparent injury after the ball is spotted for the next play, that player’s team will be charged a timeout. If the team does not have timeouts remaining, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty will be assessed.

Feigning injuries, sometimes at the coach’s instruction, had become a tactic defenses use to slow down tempo offenses or as a way for an offense to avoid a delay-of-game penalty or get an extra timeout.

Golf

Thomas shoots 61 to take the lead at Harbour Town >> Justin Thomas had a round to match the immaculate weather Thursday at Harbour Town with 11 birdies that allowed him to tie the course record with a 10-under 61 to lead the RBC Heritage.

The best shot he hit all day was an 8-iron that dropped near the pin and settled 5 feet away. He missed that birdie putt, one of the few chances he didn’t convert.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, coming off a tie for fourth at the Masters, had very little stress at Harbour Town in a round of 64.

Liu, Buhai share lead at LA Championship >> Yan Liu birdied the final three holes in chilly conditions for a 9-under 63 and a share of the first-round lead with Ashleigh Buhai in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.

With the temperature barely reaching 60 degrees (15.5 degrees Celsius) at El Caballero Country Club, Liu overcame an opening bogey to play the next nine in 7 under — making a 6-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th and five birdies.

NBA

Kings agree to hire Perry as GM >> The Sacramento Kings took little time to hire a new general manager, agreeing to a deal with Scott Perry just hours after parting ways with Monte McNair.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday that Perry will take over for McNair and try to upgrade a roster that lost in the play-in tournament for a second straight season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.

Bucks’ Lillard cleared for full basketball activity >> Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is off blood-thinning medication and has been cleared for full basketball activity, a major step forward in his return from the deep vein thrombosis that has kept him out for the last month.

The Bucks still aren’t indicating exactly when the seven-time all-NBA performer might play again, though he has been ruled out for their first playoff game.