One of the marquee matchups to kick off the College Football season is set for next weekend, as the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Texas Longhorns. But the spotlight is shifting away from the field, with growing controversy surrounding Dave Portnoy and the possibility of his absence ahead of this crucial game.
Rumors began swirling quickly that the Barstool Sports founder had been banned from attending the game, with little clarity surrounding the reasons behind the decision. Speculation started mounting, with many pointing fingers at Ohio State as the possible source behind the move.
However, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the ban on Portnoy isn’t limited to this weekend’s game — it reportedly extends to all stadiums across the Big Ten Conference.
“A Big Ten spokesperson tells @YahooSports that it is the league’s understanding from Fox that Dave Portnoy will not appear on Big Noon Kickoff’s main stage inside the stadium of any conference school this year,” he reported via @RossDellenger.
Dave Portnoy attends the Sponsored By T-Mobile and Venmo at Super Bowl LIX.
According to Dellenger, citing Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork, the decision to ban Portnoy came from FOX — not from the Buckeyes. “Ohio State did not issue a ban on Dave Portnoy, AD Ross Bjork tells @YahooSports. Bjork confirms that FOX decided Portnoy would not be on the main desk of Big Noon Kickoff and those not on the desk do not normally appear on the field. These are Fox decisions, he emphasized.”
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The rivalry as a theory
It’s no secret that Portnoy is a die-hard Michigan Wolverines fan — the archrival of Ohio State — which has only fueled speculation that his ban from the Texas-Buckeyes matchup may be rooted in that long-standing feud.
Through his official X account (formerly Twitter), @stoolpresidente, Portnoy further stoked the flames of the rivalry between these two storied programs.
“I love this (expletive) rivalry*I love this fucking rivalry*.*one team has to win once in awhile for it to be considered a rivalry,” he said.
