COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dave Portnoy will not be inside Ohio Stadium with the Fox Sports “Big Noon Kickoff” crew before Saturday’s game between top-ranked Texas and third-ranked Ohio State.
Who made that decision continues to be debated.
The Barstool Sports founder posted a nearly six-minute video on Twitter/X on Tuesday that claimed Ohio State banned him from coming into the stadium and the “Barstool College Football Show” from coming on campus.
Portnoy makes his Fox Sports debut on Saturday after Barstool and the network announced a partnership last month. “Big Noon Kickoff” also features host Rob Stone and analysts Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram and Chris “The Bear” Fallica.
Portnoy graduated from Michigan and has used Ohio State as a punching bag, especially with Michigan’s four-game winning streak over its archrival. There were some questions about how the interactions with Portnoy and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer would go even before this week’s kerfuffle.
“I wasn’t going to say anything. We’ll just go to Week 2. I’m trying to be a good partner, we’re just starting this thing with Fox. Then the story breaks,” Portnoy said in the video. “I feel bad because Fox is in the middle of it.
“I have no problem with (athletic director) Ross Bjork and Ohio State. This is my advice — stop making excuses. … Be like ‘Yeah, we did ban Dave because we are so hateful against Michigan.’ Just own what you do.”
Portnoy added during the video that Barstool had to pay late fees to cancel its travel and production that was booked for Saturday’s game.
Ohio State said in a statement on Tuesday that during planning meetings with Fox, the only talent coming into the stadium would be their main desk crew.
“They informed us that David Portnoy is not part of their “main desk” crew. Ohio State did not ban anyone from our stadium,” the university said in a statement.
Fox Sports declined comment on Portnoy’s status.
Saturday’s game likely won’t be “Big Noon Kickoff’s” only trip to Columbus this season. Ohio State hosts second-ranked Penn State on Nov. 1.
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