National Football Foundation

Entering its 20th season, ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot has become a Saturday fixture for more than 1.4 million fans every week during the fall. With five Emmy nominations to its credit, the show provides fans unparalleled coverage of the day's top teams, match-ups, player profiles and storylines. 

College GameDay has pioneered a format that captures the rich history and pageantry of college football like no other show. Traveling to college campuses across the country, College GameDay has generated newfound excitement for fans, routinely drawing thousands of spectators - and 15,000-plus on several occasions -- to watch the show live. College GameDay's popularity continues to grow with the show experiencing its most-viewed episode ever in 2005 (1,861,000 households). Notable moments include its first road show on Nov. 13, 1993 for the Florida State at Notre Dame game, and a special tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces after 9/11 at the Nov. 3 Army at Air Force game. 

Highly entertaining, the show is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysts Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit and contributor Desmond Howard. Fowler joined the show in 1990 and has earned a reputation as one of football's top commentators and analysts. In addition to College GameDay, Fowler has hosted ESPN's Heisman Trophy Presentation since the network began its coverage of the event in 1994, and ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards show since its inception in 1993. He has also covered basketball, horse racing, tennis and the X Games and Winter X Games and hosts ESPN Classic's SportsCentury, the network's signature series. 

"We're truly honored - and certainly stunned - to be recognized by the National Football Foundation with such a prestigious award," said Chris Fowler. "We've just been privileged to share our passion for college football's enduring greatness throughout the show's 20 year growth curve. Joining a list of previous honorees that includes legends and pioneers is humbling and flattering to say the least." 

Corso, one of college football's most knowledgeable, opinionated and engaging analysts, joined the show in 1989 after 28 years as a football coach, including head coaching jobs at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois and work as an assistant at Florida State, Maryland and Navy. His seasoned presence on College GameDay has helped the show earn a huge following as the most authoritative and comprehensive college football pre-game show. 

"I have been involved with college for over half a century as a player, coach and on television," said Lee Corso. "This is one of the finest awards that I have ever been a part of. And I can think of no higher honor for a TV show then to receive an award from an organization as prestigious as the National Football Foundation." 

Herbstreit came on board in 1996. His experience as a former standout Ohio State quarterback lends itself to providing insightful and entertaining analysis. His talents were quickly noticed, as after just two seasons he was nominated for a 1997 Sports Emmy Award as television's top studio analyst. He is widely respected for his no-nonsense analysis and fresh-out-of-the-game perspective. In addition to his College GameDay and ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime duties, Herbstreit will serve as analyst on ABC's new weekly ABC Saturday Night College Football series (at 8 p.m. ET) with commentator Brent Musburger, analyst Bob Davie and reporter Lisa Salters.