What started as another Dave Portnoy rant turned into college football’s latest clash. The Barstool Sports founder and Michigan loyalist set the tone.
“We have by far the top best teams of the country and I’m sick of this perception that we’re still 10 years ago in the SEC. It’s dead.”
This led to a fiery response from Cam Newton, the Auburn national champion and host of 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, who took the opportunity to defend the South.
“Who are you playing, brother?” Newton said. “Michigan Wolverines. They just came off a game versus Wisconsin. Were they ranked…USC October 11th. Are they ranked? No. Now, you know what? I don’t even care if they are ranked or not. Are they competition?”
"Michigan couldn’t be the 6th best team in the SEC... I’m on your bumper, Dave!"
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) October 9, 2025
Cam Newton checks @stoolpresidente's SEC talk pic.twitter.com/0Uoy1iFy2K
Newton kept going, pulling up the SEC’s fall schedule as proof. “Let’s just take one team from the SEC,” he continued. “We gonna go to the University of South Carolina. October 11th, LSU, would you think that’s competition…October 18th, Oklahoma, one of the best defenses in the country. The following week, sweet home Alabama. After the Alabama game, you got Ole Miss, at Ole Miss. Then you got a break, then at Texas A&M.”
Then came the line that sent the clip viral. “Respectfully, a team like Michigan could not be the sixth best team in the SEC, let alone the top team in the SEC. Vanderbilt would be a top three team in the Big Ten. Mississippi State would be a top five team in the Big Ten. Slow down, bro. You speeding in the construction zone, and that construction zone is in a doggone school zone. That’s a double whammy.”
Portnoy wasn’t done either. The Michigan man fired back with two more tweets in defense of the Wolverines. “This is pretty much it. Michigan beat Bama twice in one year and literally put Nick Saban in a retirement home.”
This is pretty much it. Michigan beat Bama twice in one year and literally put Nick Saban in a retirement home. 😂😂 https://t.co/Amw8Xs4tVg
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 9, 2025
Then he added another punch. “Looks like the SEC talking heads are now trying to ride the Big Ten’s coattails for clout and relevance. Sad.”
It’s pretty clear that while The Big Ten has the banners the last couple of seasons, the SEC still has the bite. And this war of words isn’t ending anytime soon.
More College Foootball News:
- Deion Sanders says Colorado needs to defend Miss Peggy’s house
- Coach Prime calls for leadership after loss
- Deion sounds alarm on his health
- Kirby Smart credits Georgia’s resilience
- Bill Belichick takes blame for loss