Kirk Herbstreit had no idea who Samford was on Saturday night.
During ESPN’s broadcast of Texas A&M’s win at LSU, Herbstreit and Chris Fowler were breaking down the Aggies’ remaining schedule when they hit the Nov. 22 matchup. A graphic popped up showing the opponent’s abbreviation — SAM — with a mascot Herbstreit didn’t recognize.
“I’m not sure who that one is,” Herbstreit said.
“That would be Samford,” Fowler replied.
“OK, whatever,” Herbstreit said as Fowler laughed.
The moment was harmless enough that Herbstreit posted the clip himself on X, apologizing to the Bulldogs.
Was struggling with this logo on graphic last night… My bad @SamfordFootball 🤣 #abc #espn pic.twitter.com/xoZCaxjcIX
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 26, 2025
That’s when Samford’s social media team seized the opportunity, as the school replied to Herbstreit’s tweet with an offer.
“We accept your apology…… ONLY if you wear a Samford tie next Saturday, we’ll gladly send you one!”
We accept your apology…… ONLY if you wear a Samford tie next Saturday, we’ll gladly send you one!👔#HatchAttack | #AllForSAMford https://t.co/0UjrrarwoU
— Samford Football (@SamfordFootball) October 26, 2025
Herbstreit had yet to respond as of Monday afternoon, so the school’s account made a follow-up attempt, too.
The offer still stands… @KirkHerbstreit 🤔#HatchAttack | #AllForSAMford
— Samford Football (@SamfordFootball) October 27, 2025
For the uninitiated, Samford is a Southern Conference school in Birmingham, Alabama, that Texas A&M is paying to show up for a November cupcake game. And Herbstreit, not knowing their logo, just goes to show how wide the gap is between Power Four programs and FCS schools, if we didn’t already know.
Suffice to say, Herbstreit wouldn’t be alone in not knowing, given the slim likelihood he’ll be in the booth — or at College GameDay — for a 1-7 Samford squad that’s coming off a 49-13 loss to Chattanooga. Most casual fans wouldn’t be able to place that logo if the Bulldogs played in their living room. But they might be able to if Herbstreit holds up his end of accepting the accepted apology with a Samford-themed tie this coming Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.