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College football rivalries are like none other. Match ups like Texas-Oklahoma, Alabama-Auburn, Michigan-Ohio State and Army-Navy get the blood pumping. But as a Mountaineer fan, there is no greater rival than Pitt.
Sure, West Virginia has other rivals, including Penn State, who's on the schedule in 2023, and Virginia Tech, who WVU will play again in 2021, but the Nittany Lions and Hokies aren't nearly as provoking as the Panthers.
The Backyard Brawl is 124 years old, being one of the oldest series in college football. A conference shift following the 2011 season resulted in a streak of 68 years (starting in 1943) of the two bitter enemies playing each other being broken.
Back in 2015, WVU Athletic Director Shane Lyons announced the return of the series a full seven years before the next game was scheduled to be played. The teams have agreed to meet for four consecutive seasons (2022-2025) and alternate between Pittsburgh and Morgantown with the first to be played at Heinz Field and the last at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Four years later, and I'm hyped about the battle that awaits. However, before looking too far ahead, it's worth taking a look back at some recent memories between the two rivals.
13-9: Pitt Squashes WVU's National Championship Hopes
Why not start off with the worst possible one? December 1st, 2007: it's a day that lives in infamy for WVU fans.
Leading up to the game, WVU was a near-perfect 10-1 and was ranked second in the country. They had just routed then-Big East rival and 20th ranked Connecticut at home the previous week, 66-21.
We had standouts Pat White, Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt. We had momentum. We we were destined for the BCS National Championship game. But multiple punts, missed field goals and turnovers later, and the game is over. Our high-profiled offense finished with just nine points to lose to our bitter rivals on our home turf in front of a national television audience. Oh, and Pitt was unranked at the time and finished the season 5-7.
This one still hurts many WVU fans. It no doubt has much to do with our continued distaste for all things Pitt, and likely contributes to our overall pessimism as well. If you're up for some sadness, watch the highlight video below.
WVU vs. Pitt 2007
WVU Achieves Revenge in 2009 on Last-Second Field Goal
After the 13-9 game, then-coach Rich Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan and Bill Stewart took over as the new head coach. We were not able to rebound right away in 2008, losing 19-15 at Heinz Field, but the Mountaineers made sure to return the favor the following year in the teams' first meeting in Morgantown since the 2007 debacle.
Oh, and with Pitt coming in ranked ninth in the country, we were the underdogs this time.
I remember this game quite vividly. I was ten years old. It was my first time attending a Mountaineer game.
The two aspects I remember most about the experience are the pre-game mosh pit (no pun initially intended) and the final play of the game.
Prior to the game, I awaited entry to the stadium with my grandfather and a swarm of fellow WVU fans all around us. They chanted their favorite explicit phrase toward the competitors who came from just 75 miles away. It was senior day towards the end of November and very cold. What a scene it was.
Such was the game itself. Stud WVU running back Noel Devine rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown. But it was the final play from a 42-yard drive that sealed the deal. After moving the ball into a comfortable spot, Coach Bill Stewart let the clock wind down on a third-and-one to set up a field goal attempt with three seconds to go. The 43-yard attempt from Tyler Bitancurt was good as time expired. Cue Country Roads.
WVU Avenges Loss to Pitt in 2009
WVU Wins Final Backyard Brawl in Big East
The last time the two team's met was in November of 2011, the final season before both teams left the Big East conference. As then-Coach Dana Holgorsen got his only taste of the rivarly during his tenure, WVU rallied back from a 17-7 halftime deficit to win in Morgantown, 21-20.
WVU proceeded to leave the Big East for the Big 12 while Pitt later fled to the ACC.
With that win, WVU extended their win streak against Pitt to three as the Mountaineers previously obliterated the Panthers on the road in 2010, 35-10.
We Got Next
With the excitement over the arrival of new coach Neal Brown, I view the now three-year wait to play Pitt as perfect. Hopefully by then, the coaching staff will have done some extra-quality recruiting and development that has WVU sitting pretty in the Big 12.
But even more so, when it comes to that game, on that day, we just want to focus on the task at hand by taming our long-time rivals.
And I know, WVU recently has and is scheduled to play Pitt in men's basketball. Even still, there's something about watching these two trade blows on the gridiron. The anticipation at the chance to "Beat Pitt" again and move up in the series win column has me excited.
Lord Willing, WVU will have such an opportunity in three years and I'm so ready.
