ESPN College Gameday 2012: What You Need to Know About New Host Samantha Steele

As the ESPN College Gameday crew descends upon Cowboys Stadium for its opening-day broadcast of the Michigan-Alabama game, there will be one familiar face conspicuously absent—former co-host Erin Andrews.

A long-time sideline reporter, Andrews joined Gameday full time in 2010, serving as the host for the show's first hour on ESPNU before moving to a co-host role when the program began at 10 a.m. EDT on ESPN.

The 34-year-old Andrews left ESPN for Fox Sports in July, leaving her role on the program open for the taking.

Replacing the departed former star is a surprising choice, Samantha Steele. She joined ESPN less than a year ago and worked for Fox Sports Net's college football coverage after graduating from Liberty University in Virginia.

Because she's a relative unknown, there were many questions about why ESPN passed up far more experienced broadcasters to give Steele such a prestigious position.

Well, let's find out. Before Gameday opens its season Saturday, here's a look at everything you need to know about Steele.

Steele Is Moving Up the Bristol Ranks Fast

Anyone who follows the inner workings of ESPN knows that sometimes the higher-ups pluck someone from near obscurity and make them the network's new golden child.

Notable recent examples include Michelle Beadle, who was relatively obscure before joining SportsNation in 2009, and Charissa Thompson, who ostensibly became Beadle's replacement after her departure this year for a gig at NBC/NBC Sports Network.

It's looking more and more like Steele is the next name on that list.

Having just joined ESPN's Longhorn Network in July 2011, Steele quickly moved up the ranks. She got high-profile sideline reporting gigs for the network's college football broadcasts last year and will move into Andrews' position a little more than a year after joining the network.

Steele also seemingly leap-frogged fellow reporter Jenn Brown, who was one of the early favorites for the Gameday gig. At just 26 years old, Steele is one of the younger broadcasters in the entire company. And if Year 1 is any indication, her potential with the network is limitless.

Reporter Makes Innocent Mistake, Internet Goes Crazy

One of Steele's assignments in her first year with ESPN was covering the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee.

When the bee concluded and Steele went to interview the winner, Snigdha Nandipati, she made a gaffe that sent the Internet into a tizzy: She looked at the wrong girl.

Most of the time, this wouldn't have been a big deal, as Steele could have simply apologized and moved on. But instead of merely having a nationally televised embarrassing moment, Steele became the subject of race-based criticism because both girls were Indian-American.

B/R pop culture writer Gabe Zaldiva has a great recap of the Twitter-verse's unsurprising reaction. But to her credit, Steele took everything in stride and rightfully apologized for her mistake.

"

I know both girls. My mistake was not making sure they were in the right positions b4 I turned from the CEO. I apologize! Congrats Snigdha!

— Samantha Steele (@Samantha_Steele) June 1, 2012"

She Hosts a Monday Morning College Football Show With Her 3-Year-Old Niece

I don't throw around the word adorable very often, but let's just say I can see why ESPN decided to move Steele up their ranks.

Perhaps that's because I'm a sucker for YouTube videos involving adorable children, animals and "Call Me Maybe" sing-alongs.

But still. You cannot watch that video without seeing the undeniable charm that the suits at ESPN see in Steele.

If Steele allows her personality to shine on-air this season, there's no reason to think that by midseason anyone watching will miss Andrews.