ESPN College Gameday Vs. Fox Sports Big Noon Kickoff lineup battle begins

With the introduction of Barstool Sports founder, and notable Michigan alum and super fan, Dave Portnoy, to the Fox Sports Big Noon Kickoff, the war between ESPN's College Gameday and Big Noon Kickoff has officially begun. Fans of Portnoy were ecstatic about his addition to the show. Portnoy will do for Kickoff what Pat McAfee did for College Gameday: bring energy and charisma outside of his sports analysis. He also brings a substantial weapon with him; his Barstool brand has owned the 17–34-year-old demographic for years. That is a critical group for any show, including a sports pre-game show.

The two shows are built similarly in nature; they have a host, a legendary college football coach, and former legendary Heisman Award-winning college players. Now, they both have the "color" guy who excites the fan base. Gameday has had a stranglehold on the head-to-head ratings comparison, but in recent years, it has lost the lead during certain games. The star power of Portnoy could make that a more common theme in the future. Fans, media members, and social media users have already started taking sides.