Joel Klatt brought some serious college football buzz to Ann Arbor this weekend, hosting a sold-out live “The Joel Klatt Show” right before Michigan squared off against No. 11 Oklahoma. The energy at The Circ Bar was unreal, packed with fans ready to dive deep into everything from the massive 24-team playoff talk to what Michigan needed to do against the Sooners. Klatt brought out some big names too, with FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft and “Big Noon Kickoff’s” Dave Portnoy in the house, plus former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. They even threw in a lie-detector test for some extra drama, because why not? But let’s be real, the real fireworks came from Portnoy.
Portnoy’s All-Time Michigan Picks and The Harbaugh Bombshell
You know Dave Portnoy, right? The guy bleeds Michigan maize and blue, constantly shouting his fandom from the rooftops. So when Klatt had him reveal his all-time top-five Wolverine players, everyone was listening. Portnoy included legends from Michigan’s 1997 national title squad, like Heisman winner Charles Woodson, and even gave a nod to 2023’s national champions with quarterback J.J. McCarthy making the cut. His full dream team? McCarthy at QB, Desmond Howard and Anthony Carter as wide receivers, Tim Biakabutuka pounding the rock at running back, and Charles Woodson locking down the defense. Pretty solid, right?
But then, Portnoy dropped a bombshell that probably had some Michigan fans spitting out their drinks. Despite Jim Harbaugh leading the Wolverines to a national title just last year in 2024, with an insane 86-25 overall record, a 60-17 conference record, and three straight Big Ten Championships from 2021 to 2023 , including that perfect 15-0 season in his final year , Portnoy was ready for him to peace out. “Once McCarthy came in, everything changed. Hand up, I wanted Harbaugh gone,” Portnoy declared. He didn’t pull any punches, saying, “It was every year we were getting drummed. I bet there are a lot of silent Michigan fans out there that are like, ‘Yeah, maybe we thought it was time for a change.’ There were some down years.” Talk about a take that hits different when you look at Harbaugh’s ultimate success!
Coach Stoops Weighs In On The Future Of College Football
The conversation wasn’t just about Michigan drama. Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who racked up a ridiculous 191-48 record with two Big 12 titles and a BCS National Championship in 2000 during his 1999-2016 tenure, joined the stage to share his wisdom. The hot topic? The possible expansion of the College Football Playoff to a massive 24 teams. Stoops admitted he’s been “a proponent of less playoff games,” but he saw the new landscape. “But these games are going to go away,” he said, referring to regular season games losing some significance. “So then that would be the reason to keep the 24 teams in the playoff. Because now you can come up to Michigan, things don’t go the right way, you can still recover from it.” It’s a pragmatic view from a legend who’s seen it all.
With Michigan hosting No. 11 Oklahoma this Saturday, you gotta wonder if Portnoy’s wild Harbaugh take will be buzzing in the stands. Will the Wolverines show up big on the field, or will the noise around the program prove to be a distraction for the team as they face a tough challenge?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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