The Pitt Panthers and the West Virginia Mountaineers will square off for the 105th time Thursday, as Pitt looks to protect its No. 17 ranking. It's the first time in nearly 11 years the teams will square off, with their last meeting coming Nov. 25, 2011.
The Backyard Brawl, which dates back to 1895 in Wheeling, West Virginia, will be played in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium this year. It's been picked up again in a four-year deal to revive a rivalry that is comparable to Minnesota vs. Wisconsin: Not always prominent on the national radar, but with plenty of deep-seated bad blood.
USC transfer Kedon Slovis will be a player to watch in this one, as Pitt's new prized quarterback. He'll be taking on ex-teammate JT Daniels, who will be at the helm for West Virginia, adding a wrinkle to the rivalry.
These teams may be deeply familiar with each other, but they're a bit estranged of late. Here's what to know heading into Thursday's brawl.
MORE:The night the most epic Backyard Brawl altered college football history
What is the Pitt-West Virginia series record?
Pitt currently leads the all-time series 60-41-3, making this the 105th meeting between the two teams. The 100th meeting was especially bombastic, as 4-7 Pitt managed to beat No. 2 WVU on Dec. 1, 2007 at Mountaineer Field 13-9.
The upset ultimately ended West Virginia's chances at playing for a national championship, and cranked the heat up in the rivalry even further.
Pitt currently holds the rivalry's longest winning streak at 15 games from 1929 to 1946, before West Virginia snapped the streak at Pitt Stadium Nov. 29, 1947.
“Pitt and West Virginia have a long and storied rivalry that dates back to the 19thcentury,” Pitt AD Scott Barnes said in a school release. “I’ve learned there is a lot of passion surrounding this game and we’re pleased to be able to rekindle that history.
| Date | Location | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 26, 1895 | Wheeling, W.Va. | West Virginia | 8–0 |
| November 4, 1898 | Fairmont, W.Va. | West Virginia | 6–0 |
| October 6, 1900 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 6–5 |
| October 5, 1901 | Morgantown | W.U.P. | 12–0 |
| October 22, 1902 | Exposition Park | West Virginia | 23–6 |
| October 3, 1903 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 24–6 |
| November 8, 1904 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 53–0 |
| November 10, 1906 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 17–0 |
| November 9, 1907 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 10–0 |
| November 7, 1908 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 11–0 |
| November 6, 1909 | Morgantown | Tie | 0–0 |
| November 5, 1910 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 38–0 |
| October 11, 1913 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| September 29, 1917 | Morgantown | Pittsburgh | 14–9 |
| October 11, 1919 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 26–0 |
| October 9, 1920 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 34–13 |
| October 8, 1921 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 21–13 |
| October 14, 1922 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 9–6 |
| October 13, 1923 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 13–7 |
| October 11, 1924 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 14–7 |
| October 10, 1925 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 15–7 |
| November 6, 1926 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17–7 |
| October 8, 1927 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| October 13, 1928 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 9–6 |
| October 8, 1929 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 27–7 |
| October 4, 1930 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 16–0 |
| October 10, 1931 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34–0 |
| October 1, 1932 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| October 7, 1933 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 21–0 |
| October 6, 1934 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 27–6 |
| October 12, 1935 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 24–6 |
| October 3, 1936 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34–0 |
| October 2, 1937 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| September 24, 1938 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 19–0 |
| October 7, 1939 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| October 9, 1943 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| September 23, 1944 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 26–13 |
| September 29, 1945 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 30–0 |
| September 28, 1946 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 33–7 |
| November 29, 1947 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 17–2 |
| October 9, 1948 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 16–6 |
| October 8, 1949 | Mountaineer Field | No. 19Pittsburgh | 20–7 |
| November 4, 1950 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 21–7 |
| November 17, 1951 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 32–12 |
| October 25, 1952 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 16–0 |
| September 26, 1953 | Pitt Stadium | No. 16West Virginia | 17–7 |
| October 30, 1954 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13–10 |
| November 12, 1955 | Pitt Stadium | No. 17Pittsburgh | 26–7 |
| September 22, 1956 | Mountaineer Field | No. 10Pittsburgh | 14–13 |
| November 9, 1957 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 7–6 |
| October 18, 1958 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 15–8 |
| October 17, 1959 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 23–15 |
| October 15, 1960 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 42–0 |
| October 14, 1961 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 20–6 |
| October 13, 1962 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 15–8 |
| October 19, 1963 | Mountaineer Field | No. 3Pittsburgh | 13–10 |
| October 10, 1964 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 14–0 |
| October 2, 1965 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 63–48 |
| October 8, 1966 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17–14 |
| October 7, 1967 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 15–0 |
| September 28, 1968 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–15 |
| October 25, 1969 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 49–18 |
| October 17, 1970 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 36–35 |
| October 2, 1971 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 20–9 |
| November 4, 1972 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–20 |
| October 13, 1973 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 35–7 |
| October 12, 1974 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 31–14 |
| November 8, 1975 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 17–14 |
| November 13, 1976 | Pitt Stadium | No. 1Pittsburgh | 24–16 |
| November 5, 1977 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12Pittsburgh | 44–3 |
| November 11, 1978 | Pitt Stadium | No. 20Pittsburgh | 52–7 |
| November 10, 1979 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12Pittsburgh | 24–17 |
| October 18, 1980 | Pitt Stadium | No. 11Pittsburgh | 42–14 |
| October 10, 1981 | Mountaineer Field | No. 4Pittsburgh | 17–0 |
| October 2, 1982 | Pitt Stadium | No. 2Pittsburgh | 16–13 |
| October 1, 1983 | Mountaineer Field | No. 7West Virginia | 24–21 |
| September 29, 1984 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 28–10 |
| September 28, 1985 | Mountaineer Field | Tie | 10–10 |
| September 27, 1986 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 48–16 |
| September 26, 1987 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 6–3 |
| September 24, 1988 | Pitt Stadium | No. 12West Virginia | 31–10 |
| September 30, 1989 | Mountaineer Field | Tie | 31–31 |
| September 29, 1990 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–24 |
| August 31, 1991 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 34–3 |
| September 12, 1992 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 44–6 |
| October 23, 1993 | Mountaineer Field | No. 18West Virginia | 42–21 |
| October 15, 1994 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 47–41 |
| November 24, 1995 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21–0 |
| August 31, 1996 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 34–0 |
| November 28, 1997 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 41–38 |
| November 27, 1998 | Three Rivers Stadium | West Virginia | 52–14 |
| November 27, 1999 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52–21 |
| November 24, 2000 | Three Rivers Stadium | Pittsburgh | 38–28 |
| November 24, 2001 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 23–17 |
| November 30, 2002 | Heinz Field | No. 24West Virginia | 24–17 |
| November 15, 2003 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52–31 |
| November 25, 2004 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 16–13 |
| November 24, 2005 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12West Virginia | 45–13 |
| November 16, 2006 | Heinz Field | No. 8West Virginia | 45–27 |
| December 1, 2007 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13–9 |
| November 28, 2008 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 19–15 |
| November 27, 2009 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 19–16 |
| November 26, 2010 | Heinz Field | West Virginia | 35–10 |
| November 25, 2011 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21–20 |
| September 1, 2022 | Acrisure Stadium |
Pitt-West Virginia rivalry timeline
1895
The rivalry kicks off in 1895 in Wheeling, West Virginia, as the Mountaineers take on the then-Western University of Pennsylvania. WVU would win 8-0.
1952
Things pick up a bit of steam when West Virginia logs its first-ever win over a ranked team against No. 18 Pitt. At Pitt Stadium, West Virginia upset the Panthers 16-0.
1961
West Virginia wins what has affectionately become dubbed "The Garbage Game." It was named that because a Pitt player said WVU was being rebuilt with "Western Pennsylvania Garbage," which ended up as literal bulletin board material for West Virginia.
The Pitt player was end John Kuprok, who was knocked out of the game. As he was down, Eli Kosanovich said: "‘So we’re garbage, eh? Well, there’s only one place that smells worse than garbage and this place sure does stink!’” per The Register-Herald.
2007
The Mountaineers come into the game with their eyes on the National Championship as No. 2, but get knocked off by 4-7 Pitt in a 13-9 bloodbath. It also marked the end of the Rich Rodriguez era.
2011
The final Backyard Brawl with both teams as Big East members is played, with WVU winning 21-20 after being down 10 earlier in the game. WVU then leverages that game to win an improbable conference title and appears in its first Orange Bowl.
2015
The rivalry gets renewed for a four-game series slated to begin in 2022.
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Why haven't Pitt and WVU played in so long?
Ten years is a long hiatus for a rivalry, so what happened?
In college football, the best rivalries are in-conference because they're easy to schedule. The Backyard Brawl was a Big East staple, but once Pitt moved to the ACC and West Virginia went to the Big 12, the rivalry was no longer tenable.
This revival is a long time in the making, as the four-game series was agreed upon in September 2015, four years after the rivalry "ended." The 2012 season was the first time since 1943 these two teams hadn't met.
That means, in some ways, this is just a return to form. Don't expect to see the vitriol dissipate on Thursday. Pitt is playing for something, and WVU is looking for some payback in its own way. It's sure to be a knock 'em drag 'em out slugfest worthy of a Big East throwback.
