Pitt vs. West Virginia rivalry timeline: Why the 'Backyard Brawl' doesn't happen more often

Kevin Skiver

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Pitt vs. West Virginia rivalry timeline: Why the 'Backyard Brawl' doesn't happen more often image

The Pitt Panthers and the West Virginia Mountaineers will square off for the 105th time Thursday, as Pitt looks to protect its No. 17 ranking. It's the first time in nearly 11 years the teams will square off, with their last meeting coming Nov. 25, 2011.

The Backyard Brawl, which dates back to 1895 in Wheeling, West Virginia, will be played in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium this year. It's been picked up again in a four-year deal to revive a rivalry that is comparable to Minnesota vs. Wisconsin: Not always prominent on the national radar, but with plenty of deep-seated bad blood.

USC transfer Kedon Slovis will be a player to watch in this one, as Pitt's new prized quarterback. He'll be taking on ex-teammate JT Daniels, who will be at the helm for West Virginia, adding a wrinkle to the rivalry.

These teams may be deeply familiar with each other, but they're a bit estranged of late. Here's what to know heading into Thursday's brawl.

MORE: The night the most epic Backyard Brawl altered college football history

What is the Pitt-West Virginia series record?

Pitt currently leads the all-time series 60-41-3, making this the 105th meeting between the two teams. 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.

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,” 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
October 26, 1895 Wheeling, W.Va. West Virginia 8–0
November 4, 1898 Fairmont, W.Va. West Virginia 6–0
October 6, 1900 Morgantown West Virginia 6–5
October 5, 1901 Morgantown W.U.P. 12–0
October 22, 1902 Exposition Park West Virginia 23–6
October 3, 1903 Morgantown West Virginia 24–6
November 8, 1904 Exposition Park W.U.P. 53–0
November 10, 1906 Exposition Park W.U.P. 17–0
November 9, 1907 Exposition Park W.U.P. 10–0
November 7, 1908 Exposition Park W.U.P. 11–0
November 6, 1909 Morgantown Tie 0–0
November 5, 1910 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 38–0
October 11, 1913 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 40–0
September 29, 1917 Morgantown Pittsburgh 14–9
October 11, 1919 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 26–0
October 9, 1920 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 34–13
October 8, 1921 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 21–13
October 14, 1922 Forbes Field West Virginia 9–6
October 13, 1923 Forbes Field West Virginia 13–7
October 11, 1924 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 14–7
October 10, 1925 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 15–7
November 6, 1926 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 17–7
October 8, 1927 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 40–0
October 13, 1928 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 9–6
October 8, 1929 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 27–7
October 4, 1930 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 16–0
October 10, 1931 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 34–0
October 1, 1932 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 40–0
October 7, 1933 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 21–0
October 6, 1934 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 27–6
October 12, 1935 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 24–6
October 3, 1936 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 34–0
October 2, 1937 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 20–0
September 24, 1938 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 19–0
October 7, 1939 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 20–0
October 9, 1943 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 20–0
September 23, 1944 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 26–13
September 29, 1945 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 30–0
September 28, 1946 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 33–7
November 29, 1947 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 17–2
October 9, 1948 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 16–6
October 8, 1949 Mountaineer Field No. 19 Pittsburgh 20–7
November 4, 1950 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 21–7
November 17, 1951 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 32–12
October 25, 1952 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 16–0
September 26, 1953 Pitt Stadium No. 16 West Virginia 17–7
October 30, 1954 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 13–10
November 12, 1955 Pitt Stadium No. 17 Pittsburgh 26–7
September 22, 1956 Mountaineer Field No. 10 Pittsburgh 14–13
November 9, 1957 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 7–6
October 18, 1958 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 15–8
October 17, 1959 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 23–15
October 15, 1960 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 42–0
October 14, 1961 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 20–6
October 13, 1962 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 15–8
October 19, 1963 Mountaineer Field No. 3 Pittsburgh 13–10
October 10, 1964 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 14–0
October 2, 1965 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 63–48
October 8, 1966 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 17–14
October 7, 1967 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 15–0
September 28, 1968 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38–15
October 25, 1969 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 49–18
October 17, 1970 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 36–35
October 2, 1971 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 20–9
November 4, 1972 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38–20
October 13, 1973 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 35–7
October 12, 1974 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 31–14
November 8, 1975 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 17–14
November 13, 1976 Pitt Stadium No. 1 Pittsburgh 24–16
November 5, 1977 Mountaineer Field No. 12 Pittsburgh 44–3
November 11, 1978 Pitt Stadium No. 20 Pittsburgh 52–7
November 10, 1979 Mountaineer Field No. 12 Pittsburgh 24–17
October 18, 1980 Pitt Stadium No. 11 Pittsburgh 42–14
October 10, 1981 Mountaineer Field No. 4 Pittsburgh 17–0
October 2, 1982 Pitt Stadium No. 2 Pittsburgh 16–13
October 1, 1983 Mountaineer Field No. 7 West Virginia 24–21
September 29, 1984 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 28–10
September 28, 1985 Mountaineer Field Tie 10–10
September 27, 1986 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 48–16
September 26, 1987 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 6–3
September 24, 1988 Pitt Stadium No. 12 West Virginia 31–10
September 30, 1989 Mountaineer Field Tie 31–31
September 29, 1990 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38–24
August 31, 1991 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 34–3
September 12, 1992 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 44–6
October 23, 1993 Mountaineer Field No. 18 West Virginia 42–21
October 15, 1994 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 47–41
November 24, 1995 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 21–0
August 31, 1996 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 34–0
November 28, 1997 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 41–38
November 27, 1998 Three Rivers Stadium West Virginia 52–14
November 27, 1999 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 52–21
November 24, 2000 Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh 38–28
November 24, 2001 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 23–17
November 30, 2002 Heinz Field No. 24 West Virginia 24–17
November 15, 2003 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 52–31
November 25, 2004 Heinz Field Pittsburgh 16–13
November 24, 2005 Mountaineer Field No. 12 West Virginia 45–13
November 16, 2006 Heinz Field No. 8 West Virginia 45–27
December 1, 2007 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 13–9
November 28, 2008 Heinz Field Pittsburgh 19–15
November 27, 2009 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 19–16
November 26, 2010 Heinz Field West Virginia 35–10
November 25, 2011 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 21–20
September 1, 2022 Acrisure Stadium

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 gets renewed for a four-game series slated to begin in 2022.

MORE: Meet your Heisman dark horse, Washington State QB Cameron Ward

Why haven't Pitt and WVU played in so long?

Ten years is a long hiatus for a rivalry, so what happened?

In college football, the best rivalries are in-conference because they're easy to schedule. The Backyard Brawl was a Big East staple, but once Pitt moved to the ACC and West Virginia went to the Big 12, the rivalry was no longer tenable.

This revival is a long time in the making, as the four-game series was agreed upon in September 2015, four years after the rivalry "ended." The 2012 season was the first time since 1943 these two teams hadn't met.

That means, in some ways, this is just a return to form. Don't expect to see the vitriol dissipate on Thursday. Pitt is playing for something, and WVU is looking for some payback in its own way. It's sure to be a knock 'em drag 'em out slugfest worthy of a Big East throwback. 

Kevin Skiver

Kevin Skiver Photo

Kevin Skiver has been a content producer at Sporting News since 2021. He previously worked at CBS Sports as a trending topics writer, and now writes various pieces on MLB, the NFL, the NBA, and college sports. He enjoys hiking and eating, not necessarily in that order.