Now that the current generation of Panthers and Mountaineers have gotten a taste of the Backyard Brawl, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said they can’t get enough.
“Our kids couldn’t be more excited,” Narduzzi said on day two of the ACC Football Kickoff on Tuesday. “They’ve got an idea, after two years, of what a real rivalry game is.”
After a decade hiatus following the splintering of the Big East, WVU and Pitt renewed the Backyard Brawl two seasons ago with the Panthers winning 38-31 in the most-attended sporting event in Pittsburgh city history.
West Virginia got its revenge in a 17-6 slugfest in Morgantown last year and Narduzzi believes now that both teams have won a game, the rivalry is back at full strength.
“I think you need to lose a rivalry game to understand what it means to you,” Pitt’s 10-year coach said. “I think you have to lose one to know you don’t ever want to lose a rivalry game again. That’s what we go into this game with.”
The Brawl flips back to the Steel City this year with the rivals meeting Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. inside Acrisure Stadium (ESPN/ESPN2).
Aside from being one of the best rivalries in college football, part of the reason the renewed Backyard Brawl has meant so much is both teams have struggled to forge true rivalries in the new conferences since leaving the Big East — Pitt in the ACC and WVU in the Big 12.
Both sides reignited other regional rivalries in the lead-up to the first Brawl in 2022. WVU played Virginia Tech in 2021 and 2022, retaining the Black Diamond Trophy both times. Pitt played Penn State in the Keystone Classic four times from 2016-19.
Playing the Backyard Brawl makes Narduzzi want to face the Nittany Lions again, although he’s doubtful PSU officials feel the same.
“It’s great to have that rivalry (with WVU) back,” Narduzzi said. “Pittsburgh, we embrace rivalries. We’d love to play Penn State, if they would play us. If they won’t play us, we’d love to play West Virginia as many times as we can play them.”
Pitt and WVU are currently scheduled to play this season in Pittsburgh and next season back in Morgantown. West Virginia’s non-conference schedule is full for 2026 and 2027 with the next Backyard Brawl on the books for 2029.
Earlier this year, the men’s basketball Backyard Brawl was extended through the 2027-28 season.
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