Dave Portnoy wasted little time firing back at critics Saturday night after Michigan pulled off what he called one of the “greatest finishes in the history of college football.”
The Wolverines opened their season with a dramatic 13-12 win over Western Michigan, a result that hinged on officials putting one final second back on the clock after a defender touched the ball with one second showing.
That ruling gave Bryce Underwood another shot at a last-gasp Hail Mary, and he delivered, finding JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown catch that sealed the victory.
Portnoy, one of Michigan’s most vocal celebrity supporters, jumped on X after the game to defend the officiating decision and push back against social media claims that the Wolverines had benefited from cheating.
“I’ve had a couple minutes to calm down,” Portnoy said, before describing the finish as one that would land “in the annals” of college football history. He praised Western Michigan’s effort, saying the “kids from Kalamazoo played their hearts out,” but insisted Michigan’s final play was legitimate. “Every time Michigan wins,” he said, “doesn’t matter if it’s a National Championship, when you go undefeated, or a masterpiece like what we just saw… all the jealousy, all the haters… ‘Oh, they cheated.’ We didn’t cheat. It was a second clear as day.”
“…Sometimes when the other team beats you, whether, again, National Championship, one of the great games that Hail Mary, you take your cap and you dump. You see, you know what? You beat us fair and square. It was a hell of a game, and you be a sportsman about it. But all over social media now, every, every Tom, Dick and Harry has a voice, and chirp, chirp, chirp. And all the people who wish they could wear their winged helmet. All the people who wish they had a National Championship. All the people who wish you can win your opening game of the season in the Kyle Winningham era like that, in a historic fashion, cry and moan and bitch, and try to take it away from these kids.
“I was gonna congratulate Western Michigan. If you played hard, you beat us fair and square. When we turn the table, suddenly, when we pull the magic, the rabbit out of the hat, everyone cries and is disgusting.”
Portnoy went on to say the “crying, pouting and moaning” that he believes follows Michigan’s victories is getting “out of control.”
“So, for all the haters, look in the mirror. It’s not our fault you’re not us, ok?” he added.
The Big Ten conference went on to release a late night statement around the play clock decision that also included the video reviewed by replay officials and audio of them discussing the call.
“Following video review, it was determined Western Michigan’s #18 started his jump from an established out of bounds position (left foot) and made contact with the ball with one second remaining on the clock,” the statement read. “As shown in the provided video of what was viewed during the replay process, a side-by-side view of the play and the game clock, using a direct shot of the game clock in the stadium, was used to determine the final ruling.”
Portnoy also later shared a hawkeye view of the first long ball attempt by Michigan before they were awarded the extra second on the clock.
“Its pretty indisputable the refs made the right call. Sorry to disappoint the haters. I know you want Michigan to lose so bad it’s like acid on your tongue,” he wrote.
Michigan began their Kyle Wittingham era 1-0 and moves on to face Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 12.