Dave Portnoy Continues Feud with Ohio State Coach Ryan Day After Fox Sports Axing

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has reignited his public dispute with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, stating Day has "lost his mind" and is "broken" due to repeated losses against rival Michigan. The renewed exchange comes days after reports surfaced that Portnoy and Barstool were removed from Fox Sports' "Big Noon Kickoff" pre-game show after approximately one year.

Portnoy, a vocal supporter of Michigan, suggested that Ohio State and Day were instrumental in his departure from the broadcast. He claimed that from the outset of his involvement with "Big Noon Kickoff," the Buckeyes program expressed displeasure. According to Portnoy, network executives were shown extensive footage of him criticizing Day and Ohio State.

"I think Ryan Day lost his mind," Portnoy stated in an interview with Front Office Sports. He added that Fox Sports attempted to mediate the situation with the Ohio State coach. "I think Michigan kind of broke him [winning four games in a row from 2021 to 2024], and I know it sounds crazy to say it but I think he lost track of reality."

Portnoy further alleged that when his appearance on "Big Noon Kickoff" was initially discussed, the possibility of an interview with Day was raised. "I was like, 'I don’t know if he’s gonna sit down [with me],'" Portnoy recalled. "I don’t think there was anybody on Earth who could smooth it over with Ryan Day, from what I’ve gathered. This is something that is a core tenet of his — that I’m a major, major headache."

He contended that Ohio State was "very unhappy" with his presence on the show from the beginning, complaining whenever he or others criticized the team or its coach. The Daily Mail has reached out to Ohio State for comment.

Following the initial reports of his exit from "Big Noon Kickoff," Portnoy posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that "Ohio State and Ryan Day b*ed and moaned to the Big 10 and threatened Fox till they had no choice." He characterized the situation as "Juice [wasn't] worth the squeeze" and criticized Day's reaction as indicative of softness, stating he "always knew Ryan Day was soft but holy s even I [didn't] realize he was this soft."