Game Week: Pitt Heads to West Virginia for 106th Backyard Brawl

PITT (1-1, 0-0 ACC) at WEST VIRGINIA (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)
September 16, 2023 • 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000/FieldTurf)
ABC-TV (WTAE, Channel 4) • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Radio Network

Pitt WVU Game Week H2P

Game Storylines

• Pitt and West Virginia renew one of college football's most storied rivalries, the "Backyard Brawl." This will be the 106th all-time meeting between the Panthers and Mountaineers in a series that dates back to 1895.

• A mere 75-mile drive along Interstate 79 separates the two universities. Before conference realignment decisions halted the continuous series, Pitt and West Virginia played every year from 1943 to 2011.

• The 2022 resumption of the rivalry was an instant classic. M.J. Devonshire's 56-yard pick six gave the host Panthers a pulsating 38-31 win in front of a national ESPN television audience and overflow crowd at Acrisure Stadium.

• Pitt and West Virginia will play eight times in an 11-year period (2022-25 and 2029-32) on a home-and-home basis.

• Pitt leads the overall series, 62-40-3. However, in their last 10 visits to Morgantown, the Panthers are just 3-7. Their most recent visit was a 21-20 loss in 2011.

• Pitt last achieved consecutive victories over West Virginia during the 2007 (13-9) and 2008 (19-15) seasons when Dave Wannstedt was head coach.

• The late father of Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. (Frank Sr.) served as head coach at West Virginia from 1976-79. Additionally, Frank Jr.'s brother Curt was a quarterback on WVU's 1981 Peach Bowl and 1982 Gator Bowl teams.

• Pitt and West Virginia are two of only six teams nationwide that will play 11 "Power Conference" opponents in 2023. The others are Colorado, Louisville, Purdue and Utah.

Series in Brief

Series Began: 1895
Series Overall: Pitt leads 62-40-3
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 42-22
At WVU: Pitt leads 20-17-3
At Neutral Sites: WVU leads 1-0
OT Games: Pitt leads 1-0
Last Meeting (at Pitt): Sept. 1, 2022 (Pitt 38, West Virginia 31)
Last Meeting at WVU: Nov. 25, 2011 (West Virginia 21, Pitt 20)
Current Series Streak: Pitt has won 1 (2022)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 15 games (1929-46)
Longest WVU Series Win Streak: 5 games (1992-96)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 53 points (53-0, 1904)
Largest WVU Victory Margin: 38 points (twice, last: 52-14, 1998)

Coaching Matchup

Pitt's Chris Bickell '97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi
Overall (season): 63-42 (ninth)
At Pitt (season): same
Alma Mater: Rhode Island, 1990
Record vs. West Virginia: 1-0

West Virginia Coach Neal Brown
Overall (season): 58-42 (ninth)
At WVU (season): 23-26 (fifth)
Alma Mater: Massachusetts, 2002
Record vs. Pitt: 0-1

Broadcast Information

Television • ABC (WTAE-TV, Channel 4 in Pittsburgh)
Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst),, Molly McGrath (reporter)

93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)

Learfield National Radio
Chris Hassel (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM channel 391 and on the SiriusXM App

WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM

Game Week Media Sessions

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi - Monday, September 11

Defensive Coordinator Randy Bates - Tuesday, September 12

DB #3 Donovan McMillon - Tuesday, September 12

Offensive Coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. - Wednesday, September 13

DB #12 M.J. Devonshire - Wednesday, September 13

TE #86 Gavin Bartholomew - Wednesday, September 13

WR #9 Konata Mumpfield - Wednesday, September 13

#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram