Why is Dave Portnoy banned from Ohio State's season opener vs Texas? What we know

Barstool’s Dave Portnoy was banned from Ohio Stadium over his Michigan ties, delaying his Fox debut for Ohio State vs Texas season opener.

Updated on: Aug 26, 2025, 08:33:28 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Barstools Ports owner Dave Portnoy was set to appear on the Fox broadcast of the Ohio State Buckeyes vs the Texas Longhorns' season opener at the Ohio Stadium on Saturday. However, it looks like Portnoy will have to wait a few more weeks to make his debut on college football broadcast.

Dave Portnoy, businessman and Fox News college football broadcaster. (File photo)

As per a report by Ryan Glasspiegel for Front Office Sports, Portnoy has been banned by the Ohio State from their stadium, the iconic Horseshoe, owing to his very vocal support for the Michigan Wolverines, one of the biggest rivals of the Buckeyes. Notably, Portnoy is a University of Michigan alumnus and is often seen cheering for them.

As of now, the Buckeyes have not released a statement on banning Portnoy.

“Ohio State is barring Barstool Sports from campus and its founder Dave Portnoy from entering Ohio Stadium for the school’s huge opening-week matchup against Texas on Saturday, sources told Front Office Sports,” Ryan Glasspiegel said in his X post, sharing the Front Office Sports news update.

When Dave Portnoy Trolled Ohio With Thanksgiving Joke

Back in July 2025, Dave Portnoy took a massive dig at Ohio State as rumors of his deal with Fox News about the Big Noon Kickoff surfaced. As the news was being reported, there was a lot of chatter from Ohio State fans about seeing a Michigan fan on a college football broadcast. Portnoy shared the news on his X handle and took a dig at Ohio fans.

Also read: Fox-YouTube TV row could leave American viewers without access to NFL games: Here's why

"These are nothing more than rumors at this point, Portnoy had said. “But all the crying from Columbus is making me feel like it’s Thanksgiving Day weekend again and Michigan is pounding a hapless Buckeye team into the mud for the billionth straight year. 😂😂😂”

Now, it seems Ohio State has come to bite back at Portnoy and jeopardize his much-awaited debut on Fox.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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