Unexpected Connection Between Deion Sanders and Lee Corso

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders was one of the best defensive backs in college football history. Sanders and iconic ESPN College GameDay broadcaster Lee Corso are tied all-time in interceptions in Florida State Seminoles history.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders was a superstar his playing days with the Florida State Seminoles from 1985 through 1988. Sanders was an elite cornerback but also showed his brilliance with the ball in his hands on punt and kick returns. 

Sanders had a career 14 interceptions with the Seminoles. At the time of his 14th interception, Sanders tied the one and only Lee Corso for the No. 2 most interceptions in Florida State history. 

Deion Sanders and Lee Corso Tied With 14 Interceptions 

Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

Lee Corso is one of the most beloved personalities in all of college football. He played at Florida State from 1953 through 1956 before beginning his coaching career. This is where he at one point held the Florida State record.

“I held the record for pass interceptions until one guy tied me, Deion Sanders,” Corso said in a recent video posted on ESPN College GameDay’s social media. “Deion Sanders tied my record in three Sanders. I did mine in four.”

All of these years later, both Sanders and Corso are still two of the most famous people in college football, just with different titles. Sanders has taken the country by storm as coach of the Colorado Buffaloes and Corso as a broadcaster.

Coach Corso was Florida State's career leader in interceptions until a young star named Deion Sanders came along 👏 pic.twitter.com/SEU00sVzXN

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 23, 2025

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Lee Corso’s Final Season on ESPN College GameDay

Ohio State mascot Brutus interacts with Lee Corso on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After his playing career, Corso was a defensive backs coach for the Navy Midshipmen. Corso later became coach for the Louisville Cardinals from 1969 through 1972 and then coach of the Indiana Hoosiers from 1973 through 1982. 

Corso became most well known for his broadcasting career. Corso joined the ESPN show College GameDay as an analyst in 1987. He has some iconic one liners such as “Not so fast, my friend!” when someone else on the panel has a different pick for a game. The of course, there is the headgear pick. 

Corso began this tradition in 1996 when the GameDay crew was in Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions game. During their picks segment, Corso revealed his pick by putting on the mascot head of Ohio State, Brutus. This became a weekly thing for Corso to do when it came to picking the game at the site they were at. 

Corso has made 426 headgear picks and has an all-time record of 284-142. 

Former Indiana coach Lee Corso picks the Ohio State Buckeyes for the win over his former Hoosiers on ESPN's College Game Day before Thursday's NCAA Division I football game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind., on August 31, 2017. | Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Earlier this year, Corso announced he would be retiring from broadcasting. He has more one appearance on the show in Week One when the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes host ESPN College GameDay for their epic showdown. 

Corso will be going to where the headgear picks started nearly 30 years ago. It seems meant to be that his last show ends with him picking Ohio State and putting on the Brutus mascot head to complete this full circle moment.