College football icon Coach Lee Corso was awarded the Governor’s Medal of Freedom today by Governor Ron DeSantis, one of the highest honors in the state of Florida. The award recognizes Corso’s profound impact on college football, sports broadcasting, and his long-standing connection to his alma mater, Florida State University (FSU).
“For decades, Lee has been an essential part of the college football experience,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “From his time as the ‘Sunshine Scooter’ at Florida State, to his coaching career, to his iconic headgear picks each Saturday morning, Lee has been a fixture of college football. He has devoted his life to the game he loves, and he has made all Floridians proud.”
The Governor’s Medal of Freedom is given to individuals who have made “especially meritorious contributions to the state of Florida and its citizens,” a standard the Governor deemed Corso to have “exemplified… and beyond.”
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A Legendary FSU Career
Corso moved to Florida at age 10 and arrived at FSU from Miami in 1953 as one of the state’s most highly recruited players. He became known for his versatility, starring on both offense and defense for the Seminoles. He led the team in interceptions in 1954, rushing in 1955, and passing in 1956.
His 14 career interceptions record stood until Deion Sanders tied it in the late 1980s. As a senior in 1956, he earned honorable mention All-America honors and was selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star game. Corso also played outfield on the Seminole baseball team.
Following his graduation, Corso served as an assistant football coach at FSU, Maryland, and Navy before taking on head coaching roles at Louisville and Indiana.
An Iconic Broadcasting Career
Corso became a household name as an analyst for ESPN’s College Football GameDay television show. He was a central part of the show for 38 years before retiring in 2025. During his tenure, he visited FSU with College GameDay 11 times and made 19 FSU headgear picks in 28 games involving the Seminoles. His signature moment—donning the mascot headgear of his predicted winning team—became a beloved Saturday morning ritual for fans across the country.
The Governor’s Medal of Freedom was established in 2020. Corso joins a distinguished list of past recipients, including legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden, who was the inaugural recipient in 2021, Felix I. Rodríguez-Mendigutía, Barbara Nicklaus, and Benjamin Ferencz. In August 2025, the award was posthumously given to Jimmy Buffett, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Bob Graham, Buddy MacKay, and John Thrasher.
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