Conference realignment and College Football Playoff expansion put multiple longstanding rivalry series in peril, but Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi went against the trend and voiced his support for cementing annual matchups with West Virginia and Penn State onto the Panthers’ schedule. The close proximity between the schools made their rivalries mainstays on the college football calendar for about a century. Changes in conference affiliation over the last three decades, though, threw a wrench into the schedule-making process and brought the tradition to a halt.
Pittsburgh and Penn State went 15 years without a matchup before they held a four-game series from 2016-19. The Panthers and West Virginia put the Backyard Brawl on pause when they left the Big East and are set to close a four-year renewal this fall.
“Let’s get it [Backyard Brawl] going again next year,” Narduzzi said on 93.7 The Fan. “I mean, there’s gotta be a way. You schedule around. Let’s put this game back on the schedule. I’d love to get that done and not have a layoff for two years before we bring it back. I know Coach Rodriguez pretty darn well. He was at Michigan when I was at Michigan State.”
The Backyard Brawl renewal has been nothing short of a hit. None of the three matchups have been decided by more than 11 points, and Pittsburgh’s victories in 2022 and 2024 came in one-possession thrillers. Those nonconference battles brought immense pageantry to the early September slate the last three years.
Pittsburgh-West Virginia last five meetings
2024
Pittsburgh 38, West Virginia 34
2023
West Virginia 17, Pittsburgh 6
2022
Pittsburgh 38, West Virginia 31
2011
West Virginia 21, Pittsburgh 20
2010
West Virginia 35, Pittsburgh 10
“This rivalry goes probably right at the top or near the top of…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/pitts-pat-narduzzi-makes-passionate-plea-to-play-rivals-penn-state-west-virginia-every-season/
Author : Carter Bahns
Publish date : 2025-05-31 20:55:00
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