In college football, there are plenty of storied rivalries, and the Backyard Brawl is right there at the top.
The Backyard Brawl, which is played between Pitt and West Virginia, dates back to 1895, when the first game was played in Wheeling, West Virginia. After an 11-year hiatus, the teams began a four-game series in 2022, with it set to conclude in 2025. Though, the rivalry was extended, with it starting up again in 2029 and going until 2036.
"The Backyard Brawl is more than a game: it's history, passion, and pride passed down through generations," Pittsburgh athletic director Allen Greene said in a statement in 2025.
With the game being extended, there will be plenty more highlight-reel plays, final-minute thrillers and moments from a rivalry rooted in bad-blood.
As West Virginia defensive coordinator Zac Alley said: "They hate us, and we hate them."
WVU DC Zac Alley on The Backyard Brawl: "They hate us, and we hate them..It's going to be great." pic.twitter.com/H3l3lW9Q3i
— Joe Smith (@joesmithwrites) September 9, 2025
These teams may be deeply familiar with each other, but they're a bit estranged of late. Here's what to know about one of the deep-seated rivalry between the Panthers and Mountaineers.
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What is the Pitt-West Virginia series record?
Pitt currently leads the all-time series 63-41-3. The 100th meeting was especially bombastic, as 4-7 Pitt managed to beat No. 2 WVU on Dec. 1, 2007 at Mountaineer Field 13-9.
The upset ultimately ended West Virginia's chances at playing for a national championship, and cranked the heat up in the rivalry even further.
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Pitt currently holds the rivalry's longest winning streak at 15 games from 1929 to 1946, before West Virginia snapped the streak at Pitt Stadium Nov. 29, 1947.
“Pitt and West Virginia have a long and storied rivalry that dates back to the 19th century,” former Pitt AD Scott Barnes said in a school release. “I’ve learned there is a lot of passion surrounding this game and we’re pleased to be able to rekindle that history."
| Date | Location | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 26, 1895 | Wheeling, W.Va. | West Virginia | 8–0 |
| Nov. 4, 1898 | Fairmont, W.Va. | West Virginia | 6–0 |
| Oct. 6, 1900 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 6–5 |
| Oct. 5, 1901 | Morgantown | W.U.P. | 12–0 |
| Oct. 22, 1902 | Exposition Park | West Virginia | 23–6 |
| Oct. 3, 1903 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 24–6 |
| Nov. 8, 1904 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 53–0 |
| Nov. 10, 1906 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 17–0 |
| Nov. 9, 1907 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 10–0 |
| Nov. 7, 1908 | Exposition Park | W.U.P. | 11–0 |
| Nov. 6, 1909 | Morgantown | Tie | 0–0 |
| Nov. 5, 1910 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 38–0 |
| Oct. 11, 1913 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| Sept. 29, 1917 | Morgantown | Pittsburgh | 14–9 |
| Oct. 11, 1919 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 26–0 |
| Oct. 9, 1920 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 34–13 |
| Oct. 8, 1921 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 21–13 |
| Oct. 14, 1922 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 9–6 |
| Oct. 13, 1923 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 13–7 |
| Oct. 11, 1924 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 14–7 |
| Oct. 10, 1925 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 15–7 |
| Nov. 6, 1926 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17–7 |
| Oct. 8, 1927 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| Oct. 13, 1928 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 9–6 |
| Oct. 8, 1929 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 27–7 |
| Oct. 4, 1930 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 16–0 |
| Oct. 10, 1931 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34–0 |
| Oct. 1, 1932 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 40–0 |
| Oct. 7, 1933 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 21–0 |
| Oct. 6, 1934 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 27–6 |
| Oct. 12, 1935 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 24–6 |
| Oct. 3, 1936 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34–0 |
| Oct. 2, 1937 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| Sept. 24, 1938 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 19–0 |
| Oct. 7, 1939 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| Oct. 9, 1943 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20–0 |
| Sept. 23, 1944 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 26–13 |
| Sept. 29, 1945 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 30–0 |
| Sept. 28, 1946 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 33–7 |
| Nov. 29, 1947 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 17–2 |
| Oct. 9, 1948 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 16–6 |
| Oct. 8, 1949 | Mountaineer Field | No. 19 Pittsburgh | 20–7 |
| Nov. 4, 1950 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 21–7 |
| Nov. 17, 1951 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 32–12 |
| Oct. 25, 1952 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 16–0 |
| Sept. 26, 1953 | Pitt Stadium | No. 16 West Virginia | 17–7 |
| Oct. 30, 1954 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13–10 |
| Nov. 12, 1955 | Pitt Stadium | No. 17 Pittsburgh | 26–7 |
| Sept. 22, 1956 | Mountaineer Field | No. 10 Pittsburgh | 14–13 |
| Nov. 9, 1957 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 7–6 |
| Oct. 18, 1958 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 15–8 |
| Oct. 17, 1959 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 23–15 |
| Oct. 15, 1960 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 42–0 |
| Oct. 14, 1961 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 20–6 |
| Oct. 13, 1962 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 15–8 |
| Oct. 19, 1963 | Mountaineer Field | No. 3 Pittsburgh | 13–10 |
| Oct. 10, 1964 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 14–0 |
| Oct. 2, 1965 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 63–48 |
| Oct. 8, 1966 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17–14 |
| Oct. 7, 1967 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 15–0 |
| Sept. 28, 1968 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–15 |
| Oct. 25, 1969 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 49–18 |
| Oct.17, 1970 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 36–35 |
| Oct. 2, 1971 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 20–9 |
| Nov. 4, 1972 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–20 |
| Oct. 13, 1973 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 35–7 |
| Oct. 12, 1974 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 31–14 |
| Nov. 8, 1975 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 17–14 |
| Nov. 13, 1976 | Pitt Stadium | No. 1 Pittsburgh | 24–16 |
| Nov. 5, 1977 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12 Pittsburgh | 44–3 |
| Nov. 11, 1978 | Pitt Stadium | No. 20 Pittsburgh | 52–7 |
| Nov. 10, 1979 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12 Pittsburgh | 24–17 |
| Oct.18, 1980 | Pitt Stadium | No. 11 Pittsburgh | 42–14 |
| Oct. 10, 1981 | Mountaineer Field | No. 4 Pittsburgh | 17–0 |
| Oct. 2, 1982 | Pitt Stadium | No. 2 Pittsburgh | 16–13 |
| Oct. 1, 1983 | Mountaineer Field | No. 7 West Virginia | 24–21 |
| Sept. 29, 1984 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 28–10 |
| Sept. 28, 1985 | Mountaineer Field | Tie | 10–10 |
| Sept. 27, 1986 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 48–16 |
| Sept. 26, 1987 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 6–3 |
| Sept. 24, 1988 | Pitt Stadium | No. 12 West Virginia | 31–10 |
| Sept. 30, 1989 | Mountaineer Field | Tie | 31–31 |
| Sept. 29, 1990 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38–24 |
| Aug. 31, 1991 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 34–3 |
| Sept. 12, 1992 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 44–6 |
| Oct. 23, 1993 | Mountaineer Field | No. 18 West Virginia | 42–21 |
| Oct. 15, 1994 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 47–41 |
| Nov. 24, 1995 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21–0 |
| Aug. 31, 1996 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 34–0 |
| Nov. 28, 1997 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 41–38 |
| Nov. 27, 1998 | Three Rivers Stadium | West Virginia | 52–14 |
| Nov.27, 1999 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52–21 |
| Nov. 24, 2000 | Three Rivers Stadium | Pittsburgh | 38–28 |
| Nov. 24, 2001 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 23–17 |
| Nov. 30, 2002 | Heinz Field | No. 24 West Virginia | 24–17 |
| Nov. 15, 2003 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52–31 |
| Nov. 25, 2004 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 16–13 |
| Nov. 24, 2005 | Mountaineer Field | No. 12 West Virginia | 45–13 |
| Nov. 16, 2006 | Heinz Field | No. 8 West Virginia | 45–27 |
| Dec. 1, 2007 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13–9 |
| Nov. 28, 2008 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 19–15 |
| Nov. 27, 2009 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 19–16 |
| Nov. 26, 2010 | Heinz Field | West Virginia | 35–10 |
| Nov. 25, 2011 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21–20 |
| Sept. 1, 2022 | Acrisure Stadium | No. 17 Pittsburgh | 38-31 |
| Sept. 16, 2023 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 17-6 |
| Sept. 14, 2024 | Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh | 38-34 |
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Pitt-West Virginia rivalry timeline
1895
The rivalry kicks off in 1895 in Wheeling, West Virginia, as the Mountaineers take on the then-Western University of Pennsylvania. WVU would win 8-0.
1952
Things pick up a bit of steam when West Virginia logs its first-ever win over a ranked team against No. 18 Pitt. At Pitt Stadium, West Virginia upset the Panthers 16-0.
1961
West Virginia wins what has affectionately become dubbed "The Garbage Game." It was named that because a Pitt player said WVU was being rebuilt with "Western Pennsylvania Garbage," which ended up as literal bulletin board material for West Virginia.
The Pitt player was end John Kuprok, who was knocked out of the game. As he was down, Eli Kosanovich said: "‘So we’re garbage, eh? Well, there’s only one place that smells worse than garbage and this place sure does stink!’” per The Register-Herald.
2007
The Mountaineers come into the game with their eyes on the National Championship as No. 2, but get knocked off by 4-7 Pitt in a 13-9 bloodbath. It also marked the end of the Rich Rodriguez era.
2011
The final Backyard Brawl with both teams as Big East members is played, with WVU winning 21-20 after being down 10 earlier in the game. WVU then leverages that game to win an improbable conference title and appears in its first Orange Bowl.
2015
The rivalry was renewed for a four-game series, which began in 2022.
2022
In the teams' first meeting in 11 years, Pitt and West Virginia went back-and-forth in an offensive shootout. Both teams tallied over 380 yards in the season opener, with Pitt winning 38-31.
The Panthers trailed in the fourth quarter before rattling off 14 points; first, Israel Abanikanda reeled in a 24-yard touchdown to tie the game, then with less than three minutes remaining, M.J. Devonshire picked off JT Daniels and returned it 56 yards to take the lead.
2024
The 2024 game was particularly wild, with Pitt trailing by 10 with less than four minutes remaining. Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein completed a 40-yard touchdown to Daejon Reynolds to make the game 34-31. Then, after stopping the Mountaineers' offense, the Panthers once again drove down the field on six plays to take a 38-34 lead, with Derrick Davis Jr. punching in a one-yard rushing touchdown.
2025
With the four-game Backyard Brawl series set to end in 2025, the schools have come to an agreement to extend the series to 2036. After their 108th meeting in 2025 in West Virginia, the series will begin again in 2029 and be played each year thereafter until 2036.
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