For the third consecutive season, West Virginia and Pitt will take it to the gridiron for the Backyard Brawl. The two schools met for the first time in 1895 and this Saturday will be their 107th all-time meeting. There’s a rich history between the Mountaineers and the Pitt Panthers, and the matchup has seen its fair share of “dislike” for one another from the players to the fans.
After an 11-year hiatus when both Pitt and WVU found themselves in different conferences, the two schools have each defended their home field in the last two seasons. Let's take a look back on how the two most recent matchups in this renewed rivalry played out.
2022
In 2022, Pitt escaped with a 38-31 victory in the season opener. West Virginia fans reluctantly remember the JT Daniels pass that went through the hands of Bryce Ford-Wheaton to be picked off and returned for a touchdown by MJ Devonshire of Pitt. The pick-6 broke the 31-31 tie and would be the last score of the game with 3 minutes remaining.
On a positive note for the Mountaineers, this game was the coming out party for true freshman running back CJ Donaldson Jr. Donaldson burst onto the scene in Pittsburgh that night, totaling 125 yards on 7 carries and 1 touchdown. His first touch went for a 44-yard gain. He also had a blocked punt in the game and converted on a 5-yard rushing touchdown the very next play.
2023
In 2023, West Virginia got their chance to host the Backyard Brawl for the first time since 2011. WVU lost their starting quarterback Garrett Greene to a leg injury on their second offensive drive of the game. As Head Coach Neal Brown recalls, this game was ugly. Brown said, “They call it the ‘Brawl’ for a reason. That wasn't a thing of beauty.”
The 2023 edition of the Backyard Brawl probably had some similarities to the Brawl of 1923, as there was lots of running the football. Neither team’s quarterback passed for over 100 yards. Backup QB Nicco Marchiol completed 6 of his 9 passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Phil Jurkovec had a night to forget for Pitt, going 8/20 for 81 yards and 3 interceptions.
West Virginia defeated Pitt by a score of 17-6. Pitt failed to reach the end zone and it was their lowest scoring total in the Backyard Brawl since being shut out in 1996.
CJ Donaldson had another great game in 2023, rushing for 102 yards and 1 touchdown on 18 carries. WVU tallied 51 rush attempts and won the time of possession battle. Both teams had exactly 211 yards of offense, something both offensive are seeking to improve upon in 2024.