Michigan superfan and Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy’s issues with Ohio State reached another level after he was allegedly banned from attending the season opener between the Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns despite being part of FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” team.
However, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork issued clarification that the program did not impose any ban on Portnoy despite his allegiance with the rival program, Michigan. Bjork said the broadcaster itself didn’t want the outspoken Portnoy inside the stadium.
On Monday, Portnoy roasted Ohio State once again for focusing on him too much rather than keeping their upcoming playoff opponent, Miami, in mind.
“Now, does Ohio State focus on this game? Are they too busy redacting legal documents and dealing with questions about me, and how they handle Michigan and me? I don’t know if you guys saw that side story — I was hoping it would get to you,” Portnoy said.
The Barstool Sports president also revealed the legal inquiry placed on Ohio State regarding his alleged ban.
“Well, there was a legal inquiry into Ohio State and how they dealt with me when I was there with the FOX Big Noon Kickoff,” Portnoy added. “And it looks like the JFK files. Every answer is redacted — lawyers, this and that. So if you’re Miami, you’ve got to hope they’re still focused on me instead of the game. I think Ohio State is going to be very tough for Miami.”
“Now does Ohio State focus on this game? Or are they too busy redacting legal documents and questions about me and how they deal with Michigan…” – @stoolpresidente https://t.co/URCB2XAgqO pic.twitter.com/9anCKixrGM
— Wake Up Barstool (@wakeupbarstool) December 22, 2025
New Emails Show Internal Ohio State Frustration With Dave Portnoy Deal
According to Front Office Sports, Ohio State officials were reportedly unhappy after Dave Portnoy was hired by FOX for their Big Noon Kickoff Show. They shared numerous emails, showcasing the alleged frustration regarding the hiring.
The report also mentions the testimony of an anonymous senior sports information director of the school, who said that it is “very disappointing that Fox is aligning with Barstool.”
According to Awful Announcing, an Ohio State executive told other Big Ten schools that “the B1G banned (Portnoy) from all Big Ten games.”
Meanwhile, Portnoy has called the findings “hilarious,” saying:
“Listen Ohio State may be preparing for the playoffs and Michigan may be in chaos but when I yell boo Brutas still jumps into a closet and calls the cops because the bad man is knocking.”
Notably, Portnoy was nowhere to be found in FOX’s coverage of the Big Ten championship game involving Ohio State and Indiana.
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