If you spent any time on social media during the 2025 college football season, you probably saw the clips. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and the world’s most vocal Michigan superfan, standing in a sea of scarlet and gray, looking like a guy who had just walked into the wrong neighborhood and was loving every second of the hostility. The tension between Portnoy and Ohio State isn’t just some Twitter beef. It’s a multi-layered saga involving national television contracts, massive NIL payments, and a "ban" that might not have even been a ban.
College football is weird now. Honestly, it’s basically professional wrestling with higher stakes and better tailgates. And in this world, Portnoy has become the ultimate heel for the Buckeye faithful.
The Stadium Ban That Wasn't (Sort Of)
The drama hit a fever pitch right at the start of the 2025 season. Fox had just brought Portnoy on board for a huge partnership with Big Noon Kickoff. Naturally, everyone expected him to be front and center for the Week 1 showdown between Ohio State and Texas in Columbus. Then, the internet exploded.
Portnoy posted a six-minute video claiming Ohio State had banned him from "The Shoe" and wouldn't let the Barstool College Football Show on campus. "Just own what you do," he dared the Buckeyes.
But wait.
Ohio State's Athletic Director, Ross Bjork, didn't let that sit. He told reporters that the university didn't ban anyone. According to the school, Fox made the call that only the "main desk" crew—the guys like Urban Meyer and Matt Leinart—would be inside the stadium. Since Portnoy wasn't on the main desk, he didn't get a field pass.
So, who’s lying? Probably nobody, actually. It was likely a classic corporate "communication breakdown" that Portnoy, being the marketing genius he is, flipped into a David vs. Goliath narrative. It worked. People who didn't even care about the game tuned in to see if he’d try to sneak in wearing a fake mustache. Spoiler: He did post a photo with a fake stache, but he stayed outside with the crowd, leaning into the villain role.
The Urban Meyer Bet and the Missing Thousand Dollars
You can’t talk about ohio state dave portnoy without mentioning the legendarily awkward chemistry between him and Urban Meyer. Meyer is basically a god in Columbus. Portnoy thinks he’s the Antichrist. Yet, there they were, teammates on the Fox broadcast.
Before the Ohio State-Michigan game in late 2025, the two made a handshake bet on national TV. The terms were simple: $1,000 to the winning team’s NIL fund.
Ohio State finally snapped their losing streak, beating Michigan 27-9. The Buckeyes were back on top. But by mid-December, Meyer was on his Triple Option podcast complaining that the check hadn't cleared. "Portnoy still owes me 1,000 bucks, I know that," Meyer said.
It’s kind of hilarious. A guy worth hundreds of millions of dollars holding out on a grand to a rival's NIL fund is the most "college football" thing ever. Portnoy eventually claimed he was "preoccupied" with the chaos in Ann Arbor—specifically the arrest and firing of Sherrone Moore—but for Buckeye fans, it was just more proof that Portnoy can't handle losing to them.
The NIL War: Bryce Underwood vs. The Field
While the $1,000 bet was a joke, the real money Portnoy is throwing around isn't. Portnoy was a major factor in Michigan landing five-star QB Bryce Underwood, reportedly helping facilitate a massive $12.5 million NIL package. This sent shockwaves through the Big Ten.
Ohio State responded the way Ohio State always does: by opening the vault. Ross Bjork announced the university would allocate $18 million in institutional NIL funds for the 2025-2026 season, focused on four sports, with football taking the lion's share.
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The arms race is real.
The numbers are staggering.
- Ohio State's NIL collectives, like THE Foundation, are currently ranked among the top in the nation.
- Freshman WR Jeremiah Smith is reportedly pulling in around $4 million in deals.
- Safety Caleb Downs has an evaluation north of $2 million.
Portnoy tried to claim he’d spend whatever it takes to keep Michigan ahead, but even he has limits. After Underwood struggled in his freshman year—completing barely 61% of his passes—Portnoy went on a rant saying he was "out" of the NIL game if the QB tried to renegotiate for more money.
Why the Friction Matters for Fans
If you're a Buckeye fan, you probably find Portnoy annoying. That’s the point. He’s a professional agitator. But he’s also a sign of where the sport is going. The "disappointing" partnership (as one OSU official called it in a leaked email) between Fox and Barstool shows that networks care more about "engagement" than traditional sports journalism.
Ohio State leadership was clearly frustrated. FOIA-requested emails showed they felt the Big Ten should have done more to keep Portnoy away. But at the end of the day, money talks. Fox pays billions for the rights to these games, and if they want a Michigan troll on their pregame show to drive up ratings, they're going to get it.
What should you do with this information?
If you're looking to navigate the current landscape of the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Watch the "Big Noon" Dynamic: The tension between the Fox desk and Portnoy isn't scripted—they actually don't like each other much. This makes for better TV than the standard "everyone is great" commentary on other networks.
Follow the Collective Money: If you want to see who’s winning the recruiting wars, stop looking at "star ratings" and start looking at the health of THE Foundation vs. Michigan's Champions Circle. The $1,000 bet was peanuts, but the $20 million budgets are what decide who wins the Big Ten.
Expect More Trolling: Portnoy has already hinted that 2026 will be even more aggressive. If you're heading to a game where Big Noon Kickoff is present, expect the "ban" talk to resurface. It's his favorite play in the playbook.
The reality is that Dave Portnoy needs Ohio State just as much as he needs Michigan. Without a dominant villain to rail against, his "El Pres" persona doesn't have nearly as much bite. And for Ohio State, having a high-profile hater only makes the victories in "The Game" taste a little bit sweeter.
Just don't expect him to pay that $1,000 to the Buckeye NIL fund anytime soon.