Dave Portnoy could not have scripted Michigan’s Saturday much better. The Barstool Sports founder and outspoken Michigan superfan watched the Wolverines knock off No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10 before archrival Ohio State appeared headed toward a major road victory over Texas.
Instead, the Buckeyes watched a 23-3 fourth-quarter lead disappear in a stunning 24-23 loss. For Portnoy, there was only one thing left to do: ask Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham how much he enjoyed watching it happen.
Whittingham was appearing on “Wake Up Barstool” when Portnoy brought up Ohio State’s collapse. The question immediately drew laughter from Michigan’s head coach, who admitted he believed the Buckeyes had already put the game away entering the final quarter. Whittingham also made sure to credit Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, whom he knows well, for pulling off the comeback.
“I did see the fourth quarter, and it surprised me,” Whittingham said. “Congrats to Sark and his crew. I know Sark very well. That was amazing. That comeback was amazing, and I didn’t see that happening. I thought that game was in the bag after three quarters.”
Dave Portnoy Calls It a ‘Perfect Michigan Day’
Whittingham was hardly alone in believing Ohio State had finished the job. Texas entered the fourth quarter trailing 23-3 before scoring 21 unanswered points, with Hollywood Smothers’ 1-yard touchdown run putting the Longhorns ahead with 25 seconds remaining. The comeback was the largest fourth-quarter rally ever completed against an AP No. 1 team. For Michigan fans watching their biggest rival fall apart, the timing could not have been much sweeter.
Portnoy had already watched Michigan take care of its own business against Oklahoma earlier in the day. The Wolverines leaned on their defense and the legs of quarterback Bryce Underwood to secure the ranked victory, with Underwood rushing for 87 yards and breaking loose for a 38-yard touchdown. Watching Ohio State cough up a 20-point lead only added another layer to the celebration. Portnoy summed up the mood in Ann Arbor about as well as anyone could.
“It was a perfect Michigan day, starting with that win over Oklahoma and watching that,” Portnoy said. “Doesn’t get much better for you if you’re a maize and blue fan.”
Michigan Fans Got Just About Everything They Wanted
Whittingham’s response was not some vicious shot at Ohio State, and that almost made the moment better. He sounded genuinely stunned by what Texas accomplished, congratulated Sarkisian and admitted he thought the game was over. Still, the laughter at the beginning of his answer provided Michigan fans with all the reaction they really needed. Rivalries do not always require a speech.
Michigan beat a ranked Oklahoma team, Bryce Underwood delivered another encouraging performance and Ohio State lost a game it controlled for three quarters. Then Portnoy got Michigan’s head coach on camera and asked him about the entire thing. Some Saturdays simply fall into place perfectly for one side of a rivalry. For Portnoy and the maize and blue faithful, this was one of them.
Dave Portnoy Gets Priceless “Haha” Michigan Coach Reaction to Ohio State Collapse