Rich Rod Believes Backyard Brawl is More Intense Than Michigan-Ohio State

The Backyard Brawl is a rivalry built on hate. There are some rivalries in college sports that feel forced because it's a battle of two in-state programs or close in proximity, but not this one. The two programs and their fan bases hate each other, and the word hate is probably the cleanest way of putting it.

A quick scroll on social media will show you how much disdain there is. Both sides are poking fun at each other, making very inappropriate comments and videos that display violence via animation or AI. Once the game ends on Saturday, the jawing back and forth won't stop, even though the next game between the two isn't until 2029. It's every day, every year. And for the next four years, one of these fan bases is going to hear it and be frustrated that their team can't do anything about it.

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has coached in some big rivalries, including "The Game" between Michigan and Ohio State. It's one of the fiercest rivalries in college sports, but it also gets way more national recognition than the Backyard Brawl. Having been in both, Rich Rod still believes the Brawl is as intense as it gets.

“I’ve told people everywhere I’ve been that I’ve been in a bunch of rivalries, and there’s none that’s more intense than this. I don’t know if it’s because of the location is close or because there’s been so many heated games in all sports against each other. You look at West Virginia and we’re smaller towns, and Pittsburgh’s the big city. Maybe it’s not as known nationally as probably what it should be. I would tell folks, even when I was at Michigan, I know the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is big, but it’s hard to get more intense than West Virginia-Pitt.”

"The Game" is also fueled by hate, but in the Backyard Brawl, it's personal. It's one big city vs. one small state, and neither side can stand the thought of losing this game.

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