Kirk Herbstreit remembers Penn State-WVU rivalry from youth, hopes for more WVU regional rivalries
By Joseph Smith
ESPN college football analyst and broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit can be a controversial figure.
A former starting Ohio State quarterback and a veteran football analyst of nearly 30 years, Herbstreit generally has a reputation of knowing the sport quite well. But sometimes his analysis and clout get him in hot water -- like with Florida State fans, who booed him relentlessly during College Gameday’s trip to Ireland during Week 0 for the matchup between the Seminoles and Georgia Tech.
Herbstreit hasn’t always garnered love amongst West Virginia fans, and he often argued last fall with his fellow College Gameday analyst and WVU alum Pat McAfee about the team’s talent level. But he certainly remembers fondly a time growing up when the Mountaineers were a prominent part of his Saturday experience -- as was the annual rivalry between WVU and Penn State. He spent time recalling the memories Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show
“Going back as a kid watching college football, West Virginia and Penn State was a game -- Jeff Hostetler, I remember watching those games,” Herbstreit said. “And they played Penn State early in the year, and it was always a big rivalry. I’m so excited they’re going to be playing that game this weekend, and what a way to start the season for both those fanbases.”
Herbstreit also hinted at a future that could possibly see West Virginia return to playing more regional rivals with some regularity --perhaps without leaving their current hom in the Big 12 Conference.
“You’re right, it's a different time, you know the Big 12, it's just weird,” Herbstreit said. “You think of the future, and we just talked about where we think this thing is going to land in a couple years -- who knows? I’m not saying that West Virginia is going to, you know, get out of the conference they’re currently in, but how great would it be if we could get back to them playing against teams that their fans get excited to be playing against?”
While it’s not likely we’ll see Penn State become a common opponent unless a surprise Big 10 invite comes down the pipeline, which isn’t rumored to be in the works, other moves could be on the horizon. The ACC, home to many of WVU’s traditional regional rivals, is growing increasingly unstable and it’s possible some of the programs could bolt for the Big 12, either proactively or after serious moves begin to play out.
The Big 12 could snag such traditional rivals for WVU such as Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, or Louisville in the fall out of more potential realignment action. The program is also doing a good job in recent years of scheduling regional opponents in non-conference action. While this will be the final matchup for a good bit in the Penn State series, the Backyard Brawl will be played this season, next season, and from 2029-2032.
Ohio University, just a short two hour trip away in Athens, Ohio, is the team’s Group of Five opponent in 2025, 2027, and 2029, with common regional foe East Carolina making an appearance in 2026. In addition, an Appalachian Mountain clash between WVU and Tennessee is scheduled in Charlotte, NC, in 2028.