EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — It wasn’t quite "College Gameday," but UConn football fans were treated to a pregame show that they won’t forget.
The Barstool College Football Show recorded a live episode outside Rentschler Field in front of hundreds of UConn fans just hours prior to UConn’s rivalry matchup with UMass on Friday night.
The show, led by Barstool CEO Dave Portnoy and sports podcaster Dan “Big Cat” Katz, was as uncut and rowdy as one could expect.
The crowd was engaged the entire show, screaming so loud that the panel had to pause to let the chants pass. Co-host Brandon Walker chimed in multiple times during the show, egging on the large student section that stood in the front row.
Here are the best things said from Friday’s pregame show:
Barstool chooses UConn vs UMass: Barstool College Football Show coming to UConn vs. UMass game
How to watch UConn vs UMass: How to watch, stream UConn's Week 8 matchup vs UMass
UConn football: Underrated?
Portnoy, dressed head to toe in UConn gear, made a bold proclamation of where he believes UConn’s football is heading.
"I really do think UConn can be a sleeping giant football program,” Portnoy said. “I also could be dead wrong because you've never done anything, but it seems like you guys have the fan base, you have the facility, you're great at basketball, why not football?
“But I honestly think UConn is a school in this new NIL era that you can wake up one day and be like, ‘Oh, UConn's a competitive, real good football program.’”
Geno Auriemma gets dissed
It’s no secret that Portnoy’s favorite women’s basketball player is Caitlin Clark.
So, when UConn’s legendary women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s name entered the conversation, Portnoy made sure to throw a jab at the 12-time national champion.
“Can we all agree that Geno Auriemma is one of the most unsufferable men in the world,” Portnoy said. “He thinks he’s a know-it-all. He said Caitlin Clark couldn’t play in the WNBA.”
Portnoy compliments Connecticut
Portnoy, the most popular pizza reviewer on the planet, made sure to give Connecticut its flowers in regard to its excellence cooking the Italian dish.
“It’s not only the best pizza state in the country, it’s the best pizza place in the world.”
Portnoy even gave a live pizza review for a fan who brought him homemade pizza. He rated it a 7.8.
Who did Portnoy pick?
UConn entered the game as 14.5-point favorites over UMass.
All of the show’s hosts picked UConn, but Portnoy believed there will be no blowout and chose UMass to cover.
“I think UConn wins the game, but I think it's close,” Portnoy said. “It’ll be a very exciting, high-scoring game. I think UConn wins, but it’s close.”
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Best things Dave Portnoy said at Barstool’s UConn football pregame show