Ohio State Responds to Reports of Dave Portnoy's Ban at the Stadium

• Ohio responded to reports of Dave Portnoy's ban at the stadium.
• Portnoy will not appear on the Big Noon Kickoff show following Fox's decision.
• The Ohio match against Texas will be an important season opener.

On Tuesday, September 26, 2025, Ohio State University responded to reports that Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was banned from the Ohio stadium during the game against Texas. The announcement came ahead of an important match that will be part of the "Big Noon Kickoff" program from Fox Sports.

Portnoy, who is a Michigan alumnus, previously criticized the Ohio team, which sparked speculation about the possibility of his ban from participating. However, a university representative clarified that the decision regarding Portnoy's absence from the field was made by Fox, not Ohio.

In a statement from the university's athletic director Russ Byrne, it was stated: "Ohio did not ban Dave Portnoy. Fox decided that Portnoy would not be on the main stage of the Big Noon Kickoff program, and those who are not on stage usually do not appear on the field."

This situation has sparked controversy among Barstool fans, who believe this could be the last tension between Ohio and Michigan. Portnoy responded to the situation in a video, stating that his absence was due to Ohio's fear ahead of Michigan.

The match between Ohio and Texas promises to be significant at the start of the new college season, especially since Texas has claimed the top spot in the AP rankings for the first time in history.

Tags: Sport/American football