Anish Shroff (L) and Andre Ware call the Liberty Bowl between Texas A&M and Arkansas on Dec. 27 on ESPN. Anish Shroff (L) and Andre Ware call the Liberty Bowl between Texas A&M and Arkansas on Dec. 27 on ESPN.
By Arthur Weinstein on

We all have bad days at work, where we make a mistake or two.

ESPN play-by-play announcer Anish Shroff had that kind of experience Friday night, making a couple of really confusing and wrong calls in the Liberty Bowl.

Shroff seemed particularly baffled on one play late in the first half. Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond completed a 47-yard pass to Caleb Douglas against Arkansas.

Here’s how Shroff called it:

“Hammond lets it rip … 50-50, and it is picked off!” Shroff said. “Incomplete, couldn’t hold on! Douglas caught it! Douglas took it away!”


Shroff certainly covered all his bases on that play, from interception, to incompletion, to catch.

After halftime, Shroff got off to a rocky start on the first play of the second half. Razorbacks’ kick returner Rodney Hill fumbled the kickoff, then scrambled to recover his fumble.

Here’s Shroff on the call:

“Ball comes out! And Texas Tech is able to cover it up!” Shroff said.

Barstool Sports’ John Rich posted the video clip, noting, “The most wrong an announcer has ever been.”


As noted, mistakes happen to the best of us, and Shroff is not known for such issues. He’s been with ESPN since 2008, doing everything from anchoring SportsCenter to working college basketball games and even lacrosse matches. He’s also the radio play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Panthers.

You don’t get to that level without consistently shining. Shroff had some good moments during the game as well, including on a terrible fair catch decision by Texas Tech on a punt.


[Brett Hoffman on X]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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