College football rivalries can turn even a candid observation into a full-blown controversy, particularly when it comes from someone covering the sport. Oregon reporter Bri Amaranthus recently found herself at the center of that storm after speaking openly about her experience with the Ohio State fanbase. Her comments quickly sparked backlash online, with Buckeyes supporters pushing back and turning her personal perspective into a heated debate.

Amaranthus posted a five-part X series to show what it is like to be a female sports reporter. Each post in the series carried the same question, “What is it like being a female sports reporter?”, and the replies were fans personally attacking her because she is a woman. She labeled each set of comments as a separate part, from Part 1 through Part 5.

The harshest replies included profanity and misogyny, with one fan writing “Things that never happened…. I hate w**** like bri,” another saying, “This c*** is lying,” and a third: “Who the f*** decided it was ok to have c**** talking about sports?”

All of these comments came in response to Amaranthus’s X post, in which she shared an Ohio State fan’s plea for Oregon to “put us out of our misery” ahead of their November 7 matchup.

“An Ohio State fan just told me, ‘Hopefully you guys (Oregon) can put us out of our misery,'” the Oregon Ducks reporter posted on X. “Mind you, Ohio State is ranked No. 12 in the country. They won a national championship 2 seasons ago and have [seven] Heisman Trophy winners. They also have 9 national titles. It’s different out here.”

Before she became a reporter covering Oregon’s football team, she was a student who attended games as a fan. She used to participate in the stadium tradition of singing the song “Shout” with the crowd before the fourth quarter. 

Amaranthus has won an Emmy for her work in sports media and has over 12 years of professional experience. She leads Sports Illustrated’s coverage of the Oregon Ducks. Yet, after more than a decade in the industry, comments like this are what she has grown used to receiving.

Amaranthus also shared another comment she received on her Ohio State post: “The next thing the alleged fan said after that was, ‘Want to meet for a drink after the game?” The exchange shows how readily some football fans direct their hostility at female sports journalists, and how often that hostility crosses into personal, unwelcome comments.

With the online debate still running, attention has turned back to the field, where the matchup itself carries plenty of weight.

How are Ohio State and Oregon looking ahead to this game?

The Oregon and Ohio State game is important for both teams, as each team’s College Football Playoff hopes are on the line. The Oregon Ducks are ranked No. 23, with a 5-3 overall record and a 3-2 record in the Big Ten. On the other hand, the Buckeyes are ranked No. 12, with a 6-2 overall record and a 4-1 record in the Big Ten. Both teams have made changes to their offensive setups for this game. 

Ohio State lost to USC last week, which was a major blow, as they played without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. Before the game, head coach Ryan Day was asked about the team’s preparation, and he had a simple answer.

“They had a good week of practice up to that point, but that didn’t really matter. Everyone would learn on Saturday how they responded, and that is the thing that really mattered,” he said, per Roundtable Sports.

At the beginning of the 2026 season, Oregon was considered one of the strongest teams in college football and a potential national title contender. However, after suffering multiple losses, its chances of winning the national championship have become much slimmer.

Before the season, this matchup was expected to be a massive clash between two national championship contenders. However, both teams have faced setbacks; the game might not generate the same excitement that many had initially expected.