Pitt
West Virginia
Game Week: Pitt Travels to Morgantown for 108th Backyard Brawl
9/8/2025 11:55:00 AM | Football
PITTSBURGH – Pitt and West Virginia renew one of college football's most storied rivalries, the "Backyard Brawl." This will be the 108th all-time meeting between the Panthers and Mountaineers in a series that dates back to 1895.
PITT (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at WEST VIRGINIA (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)
September 13, 2025 • 3:30 P.M.
Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000/FieldTurf) • Morgantown, W.Va.
ESPN • ESPN Radio • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Panthers Radio Network
PittsburghPanthers.com • @Pitt_FB
GAME STORYLINES
- 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 1943-2011.
- Pitt and West Virginia are currently scheduled to play eight times in an 11-year period (2022-25 and 2029-32) on a home-and-home basis.
- Pitt is 2-0 for the second consecutive season, with the Panthers coming off a 45-17 win over Central Michigan.
- A win over West Virginia would give the Panthers a 3-0 start for the sixth time since 2000.
- Pitt is second in the ACC in total defense (212.5) and first in rushing defense (38.5), while the offense ranks second in scoring (53.0) and touchdowns (13).
- Eli Holstein went 21 of 28 for 304 yards and four touchdowns, leading the ACC in passing TDs for the week. He paces the league in passing efficiency (199.99) and touchdowns (8) and is the first Pitt QB since 2003 to throw four-plus TDs in each of the first two games of a season.
- Desmond Reid tallied 141 all-purpose yards (46 rush, 69 rec., 26 PR) against Central Michigan, highlighted by a 32-yard catch and a 19-yard run. He ranks fourth in the ACC in all-purpose yards (288) and leads the league in punt return touchdowns (1).
- Kenny Johnson totaled 142 all-purpose yards, including 58 receiving yards and 84 on kick returns. He has posted at least 80 KR yards in each of Pitt's first two games — the only FBS player to do so since 2022 — and leads the ACC in kick return yards (162).
- Kyle Louis contributed five tackles, 0.5 TFL and a fumble recovery in Week 2. He ranks third in the ACC with 3.5 TFLs on the year, totaling 11 tackles, two sacks and one fumble recovery through two games.
BACKYARD BRAWL HISTORY IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1895
Series Overall: Pitt leads 63-41-3
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 43-22
At WVU: Pitt leads 20-18-3
At Neutral Sites: WVU leads 1-0
OT Games: Pitt leads 1-0
Last Meeting (at WVU): Sept. 16, 2023 (WVU 17, Pitt 6)
Last Meeting at Pitt: Sept. 14, 2024 (Pitt 38, WVU 34)
Current Series Streak: Pitt, 1 game
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)
WHERE TO WATCH
Television • ESPN
Mark Jones (play-by-play)
Roddy Jones (analyst)
Quint Kessenich (reporter)
TUNE IN TO THE PANTHERS RADIO NETWORK
93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)
Pat Bostick (analyst)
Dorin Dickerson and Larry Richert (sideline reporters)
OTHER BROADCAST INFORMATION
National Radio • ESPN Radio
Mike Couzens (play-by-play)
Max Starks (analyst)
Mike Peasley (reporter)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM 139 or 202 and on the SiriusXM App
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
Pat Narduzzi Press Conference - Monday, September 8
