With The Backyard Brawl coming up in Week 3 for WVU and Pitt, it's that time of the year where fans of both programs are feeling the full intensity and vitriol of their bitter rivalry. And while the result between the two teams on the gridiron this upcoming week still has to play out, one former Mountaineers' quarterback got a symbolic win over a former Pitt Panther this weekend – and then showed exactly why he deserved it.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and WVU football alum Geno Smith was traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders this past offseason after a three-season stint as the starting quarterback in Seattle, where he was 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and a two-time Pro Bowl selection while shattering multiple franchise records.
Smith earned the starting nod in Week 1, which puts WVU in elite company with only 23 other college programs to have a current NFL starting quarterback. But who he started over in Week 1 of the NFL season is likely something WVU fans got a chuckle out of, as it was Pitt Panther legend Kenny Pickett who sat on the bench as Smith's backup quarterback after also being traded to the organization earlier this year.
Geno Smith to Tre Tucker touchdown for the Raiders!
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
LVvsNE on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/CteEp7nh0v
Smith went on to show exactly why he deserved that starting spot, having a very impressive performance for his team in Week 1. The Raiders travelled to face New England to open the season, where Smith had to make his first start for the organization on a rainy Sunday afternoon that saw him go 24-of-34 passing for 362 yards and one touchdown. He also tossed one interception, but finished the day with a 102.8 passer rating.
The Raiders did fall behind 10-7 by the halftime break, but in the end, Smith's effort was enough to lead Las Vegas out of Gillette Stadium with a 20-13 win over the Patriots – leaving his organization and their fans confident that they'd made the right choice in putting him in the starting role.
"Just one win — we got a long way to go. Happy we got the win, but we got work tomorrow. I'm ready for work," Smith said after leading the Raiders to a Week 1 win.
"Just one win — we got a long way to go. Happy we got the win, but we got work tomorrow. I'm ready for work."
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025
- Geno Smith to @AKinkhabwala after the @Raiders W pic.twitter.com/AB7BhHltFu