Pitt Expecting Electric Road Atmosphere vs. West Virginia

The Pitt Panthers have made the trip to Morgantown, W.Va. just once since 2011, and it didn't go well.

Former quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed just eight pass attempts, throwing three interceptions in the process, in a 17-6 loss in 2023. It was a rowdy atmosphere, as most night games are in Morgantown, but the Panthers left as losers.

This season's edition of the Backyard Brawl isn't a night, instead scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, but the atmosphere will be no less electric.

There are still plenty of coaches who made the trip to Morgantown the last time around, including head coach Pat Narduzzi and defensive coordinator Randy Bates, but offensive coordinator Kade Bell has not. He does have a little bit of experience with the rivalry, though.

Bell said it was an awesome atmosphere at Acrisure Stadium when 66,000 fans watched Eli Holstein lead a double digit fourth quarterback comeback to knock off West Virginia, 38-34, last season.

"It’s an awesome atmosphere," Bell said this week. "Obviously being at home last year helped, I remember my wife and them going to the game, you got more in line with Pitt fans, but you could just tell the passion of the game, the love of game, the hatred, it’s all there. It feels like a deep south rivalry. It’s real hatred football, and I love that. I think that’s what makes the game special, and it means something.

"And nobody wants to go and win at West Virginia more than anybody in this room, and our fans, and our boosters, and our players, we want to go get a win there. And we’re gonna do everything this week to get that done.”

Bates did make the trip to Morgantown in 2023, and while the Panthers did lose the game, it wasn't because of the defense. Bates' unit limited the Mountaineers to just 17 points (10 of which came from very short fields due to interceptions) and 211 total yards. And while the Mountaineers are coming off a disappointing loss to Ohio, dropping to 1-1, Bates expects the fans to show up.

"It's a big time environment; their fans are great," Bates said this week. "They're loud, they’re obnoxious, they’re outstanding. And they're lucky to have them, so we just portray to them that it’s a big time atmosphere like many that we play at.

In a day in age in which rivalries are falling to the wayside due to realignment and financial decisions, the Backyard Brawl - despite an upcoming hiatus - is set to be a fixture going into the 2030s.

"I think it starts with the fans, they don't leave their teams, so that’s No.1," Bates said. "I think at at the end of the day, tradition, where you end up going, it ends up through osmosis becoming part of you. So, I would guess the kids who have transferred to Pitt, the kids who have transferred to West Virginia, by the time we get to the game, we’ll have a very clear idea of the rivalry."

So, while the vibes around second-time WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez's program aren't exactly sky high right now (the betting spread views the Panthers as at least a touchdown favorite), it's the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers know what to expect.

“Like coach (Narduzzi) said, they’re gonna play their best game this week because it’s Pitt, WVU, so we gotta come ready to play,” Bell said.

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