No matter where he is, Dave Portnoy will not stop being an outspoken Michigan football fan. That was evident when the Barstool Sports founder made his debut as a featured member of FOX Sports' ‘Big Noon Kickoff' and could not stop promoting the Wolverines and Bryce Underwood in front of Ohio State fans at Ohio Stadium.

Portnoy, who joined the ‘Big Noon Kickoff' crew in the offseason, made his partial debut on the broadcast on Saturday. The controversial media member faced boos from the moment he entered the stadium, which only got louder when he began giving his sales pitch on Michigan as a championship contender.

“[Bryce Underwood] changes the entire fortune of Michigan,” Portnoy said on ‘Big Noon Kickoff.' “Last year, we couldn't throw a forward pass. We still beat the crap out of Ohio State; we beat the crap out of Alabama. We ran a two-minute drill from our own four up the middle against USC… If this guy is even half as good as advertised, Michigan is a threat for the national title. These people they're so rude, they think they're going to drown me out. Let's not forget, you haven't beat us since before COVID.”

Portnoy's ‘Big Noon Kickoff' fell under scrutiny when it was reported that he was banned from Ohio Stadium. Buckeyes athletic director Ross Bjork denied the claim, stating that it was a decision by FOX to keep him away from the game. Portnoy showed up nonetheless, although not at the desk.

While Portnoy's role on ‘Big Noon Kickoff' remains unclear, FOX has announced that he will host a new show on its program, beginning on Tuesday. Portnoy will host ‘Wake Up Barstool,' a weekly morning show that will go live at 8 a.m. ET.

Michigan begins 2025 college football season against New Mexico

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) throws at warm up before the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As Ohio State fans gear up for a massive season opener against No. 1-ranked Texas, Michigan will not begin its season until hours later. The Wolverines open their 2025 campaign in a prime-time matchup with New Mexico on Saturday night.

Michigan enters the game as a 35-point favorite to beat New Mexico, a team projected to finish at the bottom of the Mountain West. Regardless, the game will receive a lot of attention as it marks Underwood's college football debut. The five-star recruit will become the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Wolverines since Tate Forcier in 2009.

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