• Faith: Christian - Catholic
• Career: Sportscaster
• Birthday:  August 07, 1935

Lee Corso is a sports broadcaster, former coach, and college football analyst for ESPN from 1987 - 2025.

Corso was born on August 7, 1935, in Cicero, Illinois, to Italian immigrant parents, Alessandro and Irma. His father fled Italy during World War I at age 15 and worked as a terrazzo floor installer, while his mother worked in school cafeterias despite minimal formal education. At age 10, the family relocated to Miami, Florida, where young Lee attended Miami Jackson High School, playing quarterback and demonstrating athletic versatility.

He was offered a $5,000 signing bonus to join the Brooklyn Dodgers as a shortstop but chose college instead. At Florida State University (FSU), he excelled in both football and baseball. Known as the “Sunshine Scooter,” Corso earned this nickname for his agility on the field and set a school interception record (14) as a defensive back—a mark that stood for over two decades. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1957 and a master’s in administration in 1958. Notably, he roomed with Burt Reynolds at FSU and remained friends with him until Reynolds’s passing in 2018.

After completing his education, Corso began as a quarterbacks coach at Maryland under coach Tommy Nugent. There, he pioneered integration in the Atlantic Coast Conference by recruiting Darryl Hill, the first African American football player in the ACC.

n 1966, he moved to Navy as defensive backs coach. In 1969, he took on his first head coaching role at the University of Louisville, guiding the team to its second-ever bowl game in 1970. He then became head coach at Indiana University (1973–1982), leading the Hoosiers to a 7–4 record and an appearance in the 1979 Holiday Bowl, which they won—propelling them to a top-20 UPI ranking.

Corso wrapped up his college coaching with a stint at Northern Illinois in 1984 before coaching professionally with the Orlando Renegades in the USFL in 1985. Over his college head coaching career, he compiled a 73–85–6 record; in the USFL, his team finished 5–13.

In 1987, Corso joined ESPN as an analyst on the brand-new College GameDay program. Over time, he became famous for his signature catchphrase, "Not so fast, my friend!", and his pencil-on-hand persona, offering humorous counterpoints to co-host Kirk Herbstreit.

In 1996, Corso launched his now-iconic mascot headgear prediction—donning the mascot head of the team he predicted would win. His first pick was Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye before Ohio State vs. Penn State in Columbus. Over the years, he amassed hundreds of such picks, celebrating milestones like his 400th pick in 2023.

On April 17, 2025, Corso formally announced his retirement. His final appearance was scheduled for August 30, 2025, on College GameDay in Columbus, Ohio, ahead of the Texas vs. Ohio State matchup—a fitting end where his headgear tradition began.

The sports world lined up tributes. On-air, colleagues and former players paid heartfelt respects, with Kirk Herbstreit describing it as an “honor and a privilege” to work alongside him. His final broadcast carried emotional weight—including a send-off video with family members and peers, and on-air tributes from Bill Belichick, Charles Barkley, and others.

Even at the airport in Salt Lake City, a Southwest Airlines attendant announced his retirement over the loudspeaker, prompting applause and a bottle of champagne as he headed to Columbus for his final show.

Lee Corso married his wife Betsy in 1957, and they remained together for over six decades. The couple has four children and ten grandchildren.

Beyond broadcasting, Corso served as Director of Business Development for Dixon Ticonderoga, known for its No. 2 pencils—one of which he brandished on GameDay; he even helped develop a soybean-based crayon. He also chaired the charity Coaches Curing Kids’ Cancer, helping fund pediatric cancer research through youth athletics.

In May 2009, Corso suffered a stroke that caused partial paralysis and significant speech impairment. He spent several days in ICU and weeks in recovery. Remarkably, he returned to College GameDay in the fall of that year, albeit with scripted and rehearsed segments due to cognitive and speech limitations—but his spirit remained undiminished.

Lee Corso's Religious Beliefs

Lee Corso was raised Catholic, and while he has not made religion a central point of public discussion, his faith surfaced in subtle, memorable ways on GameDay. He once wore a Christian fish symbol on the set, and on another occasion, donned a cross necklace—clear signs pointing to his personal beliefs.

In a lighter moment, during a GameDay show, he made a mock sign of the cross while saying “beat the Catholics,” in reference to Notre Dame—showing both familiarity with religious symbolism and the cheeky humor he famously brought to the set.

These gestures reveal a man comfortable with his faith, enough to let it quietly shine through amid the humor and pageantry of live sports broadcasting.