BLOOMINGTON – The visit from ESPN College GameDay this weekend carried significant emotional weight as the Indiana University (IU) 1979 Holiday Bowl team gathered to celebrate with their iconic coach, Lee Corso. Corso guided the Hoosiers to their first bowl victory in history, a thrilling win against the previously undefeated BYU, 45 years ago. The reunion had been planned months in advance, but the announcement of GameDay’s first-ever Saturday appearance in Bloomington made the event even more special.
“The Holiday Bowl team was very close-knit. We were a family in the truest sense,” remarked Terry Tallen, one of the team captains. “Having Corso join the reunion means the world to us.”
Throughout the weekend, the team honored their coach and celebrated their anniversary with various activities, including a dinner on Friday attended by around 75 former players, assistants, and support staff.
One of the highlights occurred just before College GameDay began when Corso made a nostalgic entrance on a double-decker bus alongside his team. This homage was reminiscent of his initial game as Indiana’s head coach, where he had promised fans a special warm-up, leading the team into Memorial Stadium on a double-decker bus. Corso donned the signature red sweater he frequently wore during his decade-long tenure.
“To me, the thing that means the most is the fact that we get to see him in person,” stated Mark Deal, a former graduate assistant who now serves as IU’s assistant athletic director. “I’m thrilled GameDay’s here. I’m thrilled we’re 7-0. But the chance to be with coach again? You gotta be kidding me.”
This year’s reunion marked the first official gathering since their 40th anniversary in 2019, and it was bittersweet due to the recent passing of Tim Clifford, the team’s quarterback and Big Ten MVP. His number 14 jersey is set to be honored on the field during the game against Washington.
As they gathered, the team proudly cheered on a nationally ranked and undefeated squad, reflecting on their own legacy. Following an eight-win season after the 2019 reunion, members of the Holiday Bowl team humorously suggested that an annual gathering could be beneficial.
“We love what Curt Cignetti and his team are doing,” Tallen noted. “To watch Curt’s team now is a pleasure. He’s an outstanding head coach, executing a precise, military-style operation. The team plays without mistakes and with great precision.”