Nick Saban on WVU: ‘I’m a Mountaineer at Heart... I’d Love to See Them Beat Pitt’

The legendary Nick Saban is looking forward to the Backyard Brawl.

Nick Saban hosts the ESPN College GameDay show before the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Just like the team, we typically don't look past the game that's on the schedule for West Virginia, but when the legendary Nick Saban mentions a future game, then we have no choice.

The Backyard Brawl is one of the best rivalries in all of college sports, and Saban certainly knows that, having grown up in West Virginia and rooting on the Mountaineers in his younger days.

Friday afternoon on The Pat McAfee Show, he briefly discussed next week's game against Pitt.

“I’m a Mountaineer at heart. Big one (this week at Ohio). That’s what I grew up watching. I’m all for the Mountaineers. I’m hopeful they have success this week. I’d love to see them beat Pitt next week.”

"I'm a Mountaineer at heart and they're who I grew up watching..

It's a big one this weekend" ~ Coach Saban#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Fas5SC0ywY

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 5, 2025

Assuming the Mountaineers and the Panthers take care of business this week, there's a very strong chance that Saban, McAfee, and the rest of the ESPN College GameDay crew will make their way to Morgantown next Saturday for the 108th edition of the Backyard Brawl, which is also the last game on the schedule between the two programs until 2029 where it it resumes in Pittsburgh. This week, Pitt will host Central Michigan, a team they should have no trouble beating.

Since the Brawl returned in 2022, fans have been treated to three thrilling games with the home team winning all three matchups. West Virginia, however, should be 3-0 since the rivalry was reignited, but blew a 10-point lead with three minutes and change in last year's game, and had a ball bounce right off of a wide-open Bryce Ford-Wheaton and into the hands of MJ Devonshire, who returned it for a pick-six.

Saban is also a big fan of West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez and even assisted WVU in its coaching search this past winter.

“I just talked to Wren (Baker) a couple times about who was the best fit," Saban said back in December. "Who was the best fit for West Virginia? It’s not just about coaching knowledge or what your record was in some other part of the country. How do you fit? How do you believe? How are you going to relate to the people? How are you going to be able to recruit the players you need to compete against the competition and dominate the competition? I think Rich is the right guy to do that.”

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Phil Steele Warns WVU’s Path to a Bowl Gets Tough if It Falls to Ohio

Rich Rodriguez Praises Preston Fox’s Game-Changing Impact in Opener

These Three Things Must Happen for WVU to Avoid Stubbing Its Toe vs. Ohio

Cam Vaughn Already Lit Up Ohio Once and He Might Be Even Better This Time

WVU Fan Takeover Could Be the X-Factor That Breaks Ohio’s Home Field Edge