Michigan superfan Dave Portnoy wears professor hat calling Ohio State "cowards" in viral moment ahead of Buckeyes vs. Fighting Illini

Businessman and Michigan alumnus Dave Portnoy was present on the Fox Big Noon Kickoff set at Illinois as the Fighting Illini hosts Ohio State. The Barstool Sports founder donned a “professor hat” as he broke down what Illinois had to do to beat the defending national champions.

Portnoy described the Buckeyes as cowards, claiming the Wolverines would beat them if they played every week. Among other points he raised in his “lecture,” he suggested that Illinois change its school colors to maize and blue, adopting the Michigan colors.

“When they see Michigan, they fall,” he said.

Dave Portnoy capped his lecture:

“So there’s three keys to the game: they’re cowards, get them in deep water, then pretend you’re Michigan. You can’t lose.”

In their last five meetings, the Wolverines are 4-1 against the Buckeyes. Even last season, when Ohio State won the national championship and Michigan was reeling from the aftermath of Jim Harbaugh’s controversial exit, the Wolverines won.

However, despite their incredible start to the season, with a 5-1 record in Week 7, the Fighting Illini are still the underdogs in Saturday’s game. Ohio State is 5-0 and is on course for another national championship run.

Dave Portnoy’s bold claim about the best conference in college football

During his Saturday appearance on the set of Big Noon Kickoff, Dave Portnoy declared the Big Ten as college football’s best conference. The Michigan superfan opined that several Big Ten programs could dominate the SEC. He said:

“The Big Ten is the best conference in college football. As much as I don’t like Ohio State… Ohio State is very good. Oregon is very good. They’d clearly be the best two teams in the SEC. And then everybody else could beat anybody.”

He added that the Wolverines could go and win the SEC, saying:

“Michigan could go win that conference. Illinois could be the best team in the SEC. Indiana could be the best team in the SEC. Penn State could be the best team in the SEC.”

The debate on which conference is the best in college football is one that has raged for years. It is hard to ignore how dominant the SEC has been, with Alabama, Georgia, and LSU winning the natty multiple times over the years.

However, the Big Ten has recently been on the come-up, with the last two national champions coming from the conference.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi