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Mitchell: Behind the Scenes of ESPN College GameDay
HottyToddy.com staff writer Sam Mitchell got one of the biggest opportunities of her college career working behind the scenes of ESPN College GameDay.
I was walking the halls of the Meek School of Journalism intent on getting assignments done for class. I decided to stop Professor Wenger’s office, and this became one of the most important decisions I’ve made since being in Mississippi.
Professor Wenger asked if I was interested in working with ESPN College GameDay. My response? HELL YEAH (damn right). From there, it became history. I emailed and received a response from the marketing director for ESPN College GameDay.
I was selected as one of eight student volunteers from Ole Miss for ESPN College GameDay.
Today, exactly a day before the big infamous game which has brought thousands to Oxford, including the square and especially the Grove, I showed up to the stage to start.
Along with making seven new student friends from the beautiful University of Mississippi, I got the opportunity to meet various important and intriguing persons; from Babi Mac, the Official DJ for ESPN College GameDay, the social correspondent for ESPN College GameDay, various staffing event coordinators, behind the scenes camera personnel for ESPN, a New York Times staff writer, and I even got a wave from Kirk Herbstrit!
Here are some pictures from behind the scenes from the perspective of a student volunteer.
Ashley Dunn working behind the scenes. / Photos by Sam Mitchell
The stage for ESPN College GameDay.
The side stage for ESPN’s College GameDay.
Chandler Marie Morgan working hard.
ESPN’s College GameDay bus
Trey Edenfield looking good while piling up the boxes of GameDay hard hats.
Tessa Poyner working hard.
Cameraman working hard behind the scenes.
Catherine Carrroon working behind the scenes.
Olivia Wells and Chandler Marie Morgan working behind the scenes.
Home Depot ESPN’s College GameDay Hats
Sloan Bunting and Chad Glidewell, ESPN’s College GameDay staff/volunteer coordinators
Catherine Carroon working hard and looking good while doing it.
Chandler Marie Morgan and Catherine Carroon pose with their Home Depot GameDay hats.
Chandler Marie Morgan, Sam Mitchell and Olivia Wells pose behind the ESPN College GameDay set-up.
ESPN’s College GameDay set-up
Behind the scenes
Student Volunteer Catherine Carroon poses with a College GameDay football.
Mary Kate Berger working for Ole Miss athletics behind the scenes.
Bus driver, a retired Navy personnel, poses beside the College GameDay Bus.
Taking pictures behind the scenes with ESPN anchors.
ESPN College GameDay corn-hole challenge
ESPN College GameDay corn-hole challenge
DJ for ESPN College Game Day, Babi Mac, and ESPN College GameDay Social Correspondent Deanna Kay pose for a picture by the Grove
More behind the scenes shots
ESPN sports anchors Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler prepping for the ESPN College GameDay set
Event coordinator Russ Hays posing in front of the ESPN College GameDay Bus
HottyToddy.com enthusiast Carole Cloud and boyfriend Paul Roscoe pose in front of the ESPN College GameDay Bus
Sam Mitchell shares a selfie moment with her ESPN College GameDay volunteer badge
Student Volunteers: Chandler Marie Morgan, Olivia Wells, Ashley Dunn, Catherine Carroon, Tessa Poyner, Trey Edenfield, and Jimmy Anderson posing in front of the ESPN College GameDay Bus
Sam Mitchell is a HottyToddy.com staff writer and can be reached at smitche3@go.olemiss.edu.
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | L, 83-75 |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | W, 72-69 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | L, 92-82 |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | W, 98-84 |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Dena Martin
October 4, 2014 at 2:51 pm
Looks like fun! Keep up the great work!
Mark H. Stowers
October 6, 2014 at 12:34 pm
That is so cool! Back in the 80s TBS was the network that came to town to broadcast SEC games. We journalism students got in on the gig for a shirt, $50 bucks and a couple of meals on game day. We drug cable, set up lights and the lucky few got to sit in the production truck (Eric Williamson)…
Wish I were back in school for this!