Jamie Pollard allowing Dave Portnoy, Barstool Sports to host show on campus: 'Iowa State is not Ohio State'

After a week’s worth of drama over Dave Portnoy and the Big Noon Kickoff show, there will be no such shenanigans this weekend. Portnoy will be allowed on campus when the show visits Iowa State this weekend.

Portnoy had been “barred” from the Ohio State stadium last week, preventing him from joining his colleagues on the show for the final segments in the lead up to the Ohio State vs. Texas game. The barring itself became a national story.

Iowa State wanted to be perfectly clear on where it stood. Portnoy is welcome.

“Iowa State is not Ohio State,” Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard wrote on Twitter. “Dave Portnoy and @barstoolsports will be live from the Reiman Plaza Saturday as part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff.”

The Dave Portnoy barring at Ohio State was one that was debated, with some calling it a semantics game. Ohio State athletics director Ross Bjork offered some clarification.

“Ohio State did not issue a ban on Dave Portnoy, AD Ross Bjork tells @YahooSports,” Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger tweeted. “Bjork confirms that FOX decided Portnoy would not be on the main desk of Big Noon Kickoff and those not on the desk do not normally appear on the field. These are Fox decisions, he emphasized.”

Whatever the case, Dave Portnoy did not appear inside The Horseshoe last weekend. He’ll have the opportunity to be on the set inside the stadium at Iowa State when the Cyclones take on the rival Iowa Hawkeyes.

Portnoy has drawn considerable press this offseason since taking the gig with FOX Sports on the Big Noon Kickoff program. Now he’ll get a chance to fully participate.

Dave Portnoy will join Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram, Chris “The Bear” Fallica and host Rob Stone on the weekly pregame show. Hall of Famer Charles Woodson appears on special occasions due to his NFL obligations.

Portnoy is a massive Michigan fan and supporter of the school’s athletic programs. He was reportedly instrumental in Michigan’s recruitment of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood last year. Now, Portnoy will have an even larger platform to discuss his Michigan fandom and Big Ten football. And he’ll be able to do so freely this weekend.

On3’s Grant Grubbs also contributed to this report.