Backyard Brawl
Encyclopedia
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| The Backyard Brawl | |
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| Football History | |
| 1st Meeting | October 26, 1895 |
| Last Meeting | November 25, 2011 |
| Last Result | WVU 2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team The 2011 West Virginia Mountaineer football team will represent West Virginia University in the 2011 college football season as members of the Big East Conference. The Mountaineers are led by Dana Holgorsen, who is entering his first season as head coach... : 21-20 |
| Next Meeting | TBD |
| Number of Meetings | 104 |
| All-Time Series | PITT Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football... : 61-40-3 |
| Largest Victory | PITT Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football... : 53-0 (11/08/1904) |
| Current Streak | WVU West Virginia Mountaineers football The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their... : Won 3 |
| Longest PITT Win Streak | 15 (1929–1946) |
| Longest WVU Win Streak | 5 (1992–1996) |
| Last Ten Games | WVU West Virginia Mountaineers football The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their... : 7-3 |
| Men's Basketball History | |
| First meeting | February 17, 1905 |
| Last Meeting | February 24, 2011 |
| Last Result | PITT Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in... : 71-58 |
| Next Meeting | TBA |
| Number of Meetings | 182 |
| All-Time Series | WVU West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by... : 95-87 |
| Largest victory | WVU West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by... : 103-63 (2/14/1966) |
| Current Streak | PITT Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in... : Won 3 |
| Longest PITT Win Streak | 9 (1/17/1931-1/26/1935) |
| Longest WVU Win Streak | 13 (1/8/1957-2/2/1963) |
| Last Ten Games | PITT Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in... : 7-3 |
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game between the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
and the West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other athletic competitions between the two schools. The term is a registered trademarked for both universities, and refers to the close proximity of the two universities, separated by some 75 miles (105 km) along Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
.
The football rivalry is the 14th oldest in the United States and is typically shown on national television. In the past, the Backyard Brawl has been seen on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. Both schools are currently members of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
, making the Backyard Brawl the oldest rivalry in the conference. Through the 103 games played between these two schools, Pitt leads the series by a 61-40-3 margin. On Saturday, December 1, 2007 the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl took place at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. The 4–7 Panthers upset the second-ranked Mountaineers 13–9
2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game
The 2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game was a college football game held in Morgantown, West Virginia that marked the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl rivalry...
, knocking West Virginia out of the BCS National Championship Game
2008 BCS National Championship Game
The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007...
. The game was one of the most important Backyard Brawls, one of the biggest upsets for the Pittsburgh Panthers, and one of the biggest upsets of the season, voted as the "Game of the Year" by ESPNU
ESPNU
ESPNU is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced by, affiliated with and owned by parent network ESPN. ESPNU originates out of ESPN Regional Television's ESPNU (often referred to as The U) is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced...
. The Mountaineers exacted a measure of revenge when the series returned to Morgantown in 2009, upsetting the #8 Panthers 19–16 on a game-ending field goal. The 2009 Backyard Brawl was the most watched game in the history of ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
History
The football series was first played in 1895, and the game has historically been one of the more intense rivalries in the eastern United StatesEastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
. The rivalry between the two schools is due mainly to proximity. WVU's campus in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
is only about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh (via Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
), and the two schools often compete for the same recruits.
The 1921 edition of the Backyard Brawl was the first college football game broadcast on the radio when Harold W. Arlin announced the 21-13 Pittsburgh victory on KDKA.
Since 1962, the series has alternated between Pittsburgh and Morgantown on a yearly basis. Before that, the games were held in Pittsburgh on an almost regular basis, with Morgantown occasionally hosting the game. At one point, Pittsburgh hosted the game 11 years in a row (1919–1929) and also hosted eight straight contests between 1938 and 1948. (There were no matchups from 1940 to 1942.) In contrast, the most consecutive games West Virginia has hosted were four in a row from 1895 to 1901, with one of those games held in Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census...
, now the home to Fairmont State University
Fairmont State University
Fairmont State University is a public university located in Fairmont, West Virginia, USA. Enrollment of the university is about 7,700 and offers masters degrees in business, education, teaching, criminal justice and nursing in addition to 90 baccalaureate and 50 associate degrees...
, and one in Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The most consecutive games played in Morgantown, three, were held from 1932 to 1934.
West Virginia started out the series leading, 5–1. Pittsburgh won four games in a row between 1904 and 1908 (there was no game played in 1905) to tie the series at 5–5. In 1909, the teams played to a 0–0 tie, making the series 5–5–1. The following year, Pittsburgh won 38–0, taking a 6–5–1 lead in the series, and has led ever since. Since the series began interchanging annually between Morgantown and Pittsburgh in 1963, the Mountaineers have held a 25-22-2 advantage over the Panthers. West Virginia has also enjoyed a 14-7 lead in the series since the inception of both universities as full Big East members in 1991.
On November 25, 2004, the Backyard Brawl series saw its 97th game, surpassing the 96–game Pitt versus Penn State series as Pittsburgh's most–played rivalry game. Pittsburgh celebrated the event with a 16-13 win at Heinz Field.
The Mountaineers and the Panthers wore Nike Pro Combat System of Dress, uniforms designed to pay respect to Pittsburgh's steel industry and West Virginia's coal mining industry, for the 2010 Backyard Brawl. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, West Virginia wore a shade of white "that looks as if it has a fine layer of dust on the jersey" and has accents in university gold that "references the canaries
Domestic Canary
The Domestic Canary, often simply known as the canary, is a domesticated form of the wild Canary, a small songbird in the finch family originating from the Macaronesian Islands ....
used long ago to test toxicity in mines." The helmet has a thin yellow line, designed to look like "the beam of light emitted by a miner's headlamp." Meanwhile Pitt wore smoky college navy and black jerseys and pants with metallic team gold numerals "to represent the brilliant glow of a blast furnace," according to a Nike website, and matching helmets with a gold stripe and logo "evocative of steel I-beams" and resembling a hard hat. West Virginia won the game, in Pittsburgh, 35-10.
In 2011, the rivalry took on a new look with the high powered offenses of Todd Graham and Dana Holgorsen coming to Pittsburgh and West Virginia, respectively. Holgorsen, formerly the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State, and Graham, formerly the head coach for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports team of the University of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane...
, had offenses ranked 6th and 8th, respectively, in the nation in the 2010 season. West Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 21-20, but the future of the rivalry is in question with both schools set to leave the Big East Conference for the Big XII Conference (West Virginia) and the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(Pittsburgh).
Location
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1895. The next meeting, in 1898, was held in Fairmont
Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census...
, a short distance south of Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. The third and fourth contests were held in Morgantown. The year 1902 marked the first time the game was held in Pittsburgh, at Exposition Park
Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)
Exposition Park was a baseball park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1890 to circa 1915. It was located on the north side of the Allegheny River across from Pittsburgh's downtown area. Prior to the construction of this version of Exposition Park, two previous ballparks of the same name were...
, the North Shore
North Shore (Pittsburgh)
The North Shore is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. It has a zip code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 1 and 6...
home of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. 1910 was the first time the Backyard Brawl was held on the Pittsburgh campus, at brand-new Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
. The series was held here for eight of the next nine years, until the opening of Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium was a stadium located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1925 to 1999. It served primarily as the home of the University of Pittsburgh's football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers...
in 1925 on the opposite end of the University of Pittsburgh campus. Pitt Stadium hosted five consecutive games, until in 1930, the Backyard Brawl found itself at yet another new location, Mountaineer Field, on the campus of West Virginia University, which had opened in 1924. Another change in location occurred in 1981, when the game was played at a new Mountaineer Field
Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium
Mountaineer Field is the football stadium for the West Virginia Mountaineers, an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team. The stadium is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, on the health sciences campus of West Virginia University....
in Morgantown. In 1998 and 2000, the game was played at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
. The most recent change took place in 2002, when the Backyard Brawl was played for the first time at Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
, the new, full-time home of the Panthers, a year after it was opened.
Football game results
Pittsburgh victories shaded in ██ blue. West Virginia victories are shaded ██ gold.| # | Date | Site | Winning team | Losing team | TV | Series | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 26, 1895 | Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
West Virginia West Virginia Mountaineers football The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their... |
8 | Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Panthers football Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football... |
0 | WVU 1–0 | |
| 2 | November 4, 1898 | Fairmont, West Virginia Fairmont, West Virginia Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census... |
West Virginia | 6 | Pittsburgh | 0 | WVU 2–0 | |
| 3 | October 6, 1900 | Morgantown Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area... |
West Virginia | 6 | Pittsburgh | 5 | WVU 3–0 | |
| 4 | October 5, 1901 | Morgantown | Pittsburgh | 12 | West Virginia | 0 | WVU 3–1 | |
| 5 | October 22, 1902 | Exposition Park Exposition Park (Pittsburgh) Exposition Park was a baseball park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1890 to circa 1915. It was located on the north side of the Allegheny River across from Pittsburgh's downtown area. Prior to the construction of this version of Exposition Park, two previous ballparks of the same name were... |
West Virginia | 23 | Pittsburgh | 6 | WVU 4–1 | |
| 6 | October 3, 1903 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 24 | Pittsburgh | 6 | WVU 5–1 | |
| 7 | November 8, 1904 | Exposition Park | Pittsburgh | 53 | West Virginia | 0 | WVU 5–2 | |
| 8 | November 10, 1906 | Exposition Park | Pittsburgh | 17 | West Virginia | 0 | WVU 5–3 | |
| 9 | November 9, 1907 | Exposition Park | Pittsburgh | 10 | West Virginia | 0 | WVU 5–4 | |
| 10 | November 7, 1908 | Exposition Park | Pittsburgh | 11 | West Virginia | 0 | Tied 5–5 | |
| 11 | November 6, 1909 | Morgantown | West Virginia | 0 | Pittsburgh | 0 | Tied 5–5–1 | |
| 12 | November 5, 1910 | Forbes Field Forbes Field Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise... |
Pittsburgh | 38 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 6–5–1 | |
| 13 | October 11, 1913 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 40 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 7–5–1 | |
| 14 | September 29, 1917 | Morgantown | Pittsburgh | 14 | West Virginia | 9 | PITT 8–5–1 | |
| 15 | October 11, 1919 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 26 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 9–5–1 | |
| 16 | October 9, 1920 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 34 | West Virginia | 13 | PITT 10–5–1 | |
| 17 1921 West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh football game The 1921 West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh football game was a college football game between the and the played on October 8, 1921. It was the seventeenth meeting of the Backyard Brawl, an ongoing rivalry game between the two programs.... |
October 8, 1921 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 21 | West Virginia | 13 | PITT 11–5–1 | |
| 18 | October 14, 1922 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 9 | Pittsburgh | 6 | PITT 11–6–1 | |
| 19 | October 13, 1923 | Forbes Field | West Virginia | 13 | Pittsburgh | 7 | PITT 11–7–1 | |
| 20 | October 11, 1924 | Forbes Field | Pittsburgh | 14 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 12–7–1 | |
| 21 | October 10, 1925 | Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium was a stadium located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1925 to 1999. It served primarily as the home of the University of Pittsburgh's football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers... |
Pittsburgh | 15 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 13–7–1 | |
| 22 | November 6, 1926 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 14–7–1 | |
| 23 | Ooctober 8, 1927 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 40 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 15–7–1 | |
| 24 | October 13, 1928 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 9 | Pittsburgh | 6 | PITT 15–8–1 | |
| 25 | October 8, 1929 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 27 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 16–8–1 | |
| 26 | October 4, 1930 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 16 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 17–8–1 | |
| 27 | October 10, 1931 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 18–8–1 | |
| 28 | October 1, 1932 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 40 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 19–8–1 | |
| 29 | October 7, 1933 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 21 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 20–8–1 | |
| 30 | October 6, 1934 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 27 | West Virginia | 6 | PITT 21–8–1 | |
| 31 | October 12, 1935 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 24 | West Virginia | 6 | PITT 22–8–1 | |
| 32 | October 3, 1936 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 34 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 23–8–1 | |
| 33 | October 2, 1937 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 20 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 24–8–1 | |
| 34 | September 24, 1938 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 19 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 25–8–1 | |
| 35 | October 7, 1939 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 26–8–1 | |
| 36 | October 9, 1943 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 20 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 27–8–1 | |
| 37 | September 23, 1944 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 26 | West Virginia | 13 | PITT 28–8–1 | |
| 38 | September 29, 1945 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 30 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 29–8–1 | |
| 39 | September 28, 1946 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 33 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 30–8–1 | |
| 40 | November 29, 1947 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 17 | Pittsburgh | 2 | PITT 30–9–1 | |
| 41 | October 9, 1948 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 16 | West Virginia | 6 | PITT 31–9–1 | |
| 42 | October 8, 1949 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 20 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 32–9–1 | |
| 43 | November 4, 1950 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 21 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 33–9–1 | |
| 44 | November 17, 1951 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 32 | West Virginia | 12 | PITT 34–9–1 | |
| 45 | October 25, 1952 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 16 | Pittsburgh | 0 | PITT 34–10–1 | |
| 46 | September 26, 1953 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 17 | Pittsburgh | 7 | PITT 34–11–1 | |
| 47 | October 30, 1954 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13 | West Virginia | 10 | PITT 35–11–1 | |
| 48 | November 12, 1955 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 26 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 36–11–1 | |
| 49 | September 22, 1956 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 14 | West Virginia | 13 | PITT 37–11–1 | |
| 50 | November 9, 1957 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 7 | Pittsburgh | 6 | PITT 37–12–1 | |
| 51 | October 18, 1958 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 15 | West Virginia | 8 | PITT 38–12–1 | |
| 52 | October 17, 1959 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 23 | Pittsburgh | 15 | PITT 38–13–1 | |
| 53 | October 15, 1960 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 42 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 39–13–1 | |
| 54 | October 14, 1961 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 20 | Pittsburgh | 6 | PITT 39–14–1 | |
| 55 | October 13, 1962 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 15 | Pittsburgh | 8 | PITT 39–15–1 | |
| 56 | October 19, 1963 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13 | West Virginia | 10 | CBS | PITT 40–15–1 |
| 57 | October 10, 1964 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 14 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 41–15–1 | |
| 58 | October 2, 1965 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 63 | Pittsburgh | 48 | PITT 41–16–1 | |
| 59 | October 8, 1966 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 17 | West Virginia | 14 | PITT 42–16–1 | |
| 60 | October 7, 1967 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 15 | Pittsburgh | 0 | PITT 42–17–1 | |
| 61 | September 28, 1968 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38 | Pittsburgh | 15 | PITT 42–18–1 | |
| 62 | October 25, 1969 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 49 | Pittsburgh | 18 | PITT 42–19–1 | |
| 63 | October 17, 1970 | Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium Pitt Stadium was a stadium located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1925 to 1999. It served primarily as the home of the University of Pittsburgh's football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers... |
Pittsburgh | 36 | West Virginia | 35 | PITT 43–19–1 | |
| 64 | October 2, 1971 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 20 | Pittsburgh | 9 | PITT 43–20–1 | |
| 65 | November 4, 1972 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38 | Pittsburgh | 20 | PITT 43–21–1 | |
| 66 | October 13, 1973 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 35 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 44–21–1 | |
| 67 | October 12, 1974 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 31 | West Virginia | 14 | PITT 45–21–1 | |
| 68 | November 8, 1975 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 17 | Pittsburgh | 14 | ABC | PITT 45–22–1 |
| 69 | November 13, 1976 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 24 | West Virginia | 16 | ABC | PITT 46–22–1 |
| 70 | November 5, 1977 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 44 | West Virginia | 3 | PITT 47–22–1 | |
| 71 | November 11, 1978 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 52 | West Virginia | 7 | PITT 48–22–1 | |
| 72 | November 10, 1979 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 24 | West Virginia | 17 | PITT 49–22–1 | |
| 73 | October 18, 1980 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 42 | West Virginia | 14 | PITT 50–22–1 | |
| 74 | October 10, 1981 | Mountaineer Field Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium Mountaineer Field is the football stadium for the West Virginia Mountaineers, an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team. The stadium is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, on the health sciences campus of West Virginia University.... * |
Pittsburgh | 17 | West Virginia | 0 | PITT 51–22–1 | |
| 75 | October 2, 1982 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 16 | West Virginia | 13 | ABC | PITT 52–22–1 |
| 76 | October 1, 1983 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 24 | Pittsburgh | 21 | CBS | PITT 52–23–1 |
| 77 | September 29, 1984 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 28 | Pittsburgh | 10 | PITT 52–24–1 | |
| 78 | September 28, 1985 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 10 | Pittsburgh | 10 | PITT 52–24–2 | |
| 79 | September 27, 1986 | Pitt Stadium | Pittsburgh | 48 | West Virginia | 16 | PITT 53–24–2 | |
| 80 | September 26, 1987 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 6 | West Virginia | 3 | PITT 54–24–2 | |
| 81 | September 24, 1988 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 31 | Pittsburgh | 10 | PITT 54–25–2 | |
| 82 | September 30, 1989 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 31 | Pittsburgh | 31 | ESPN | PITT 54–25–3 |
| 83 | September 29, 1990 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 38 | Pittsburgh | 24 | PITT 54–26–3 | |
| 84 | August 31, 1991 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 34 | West Virginia | 3 | ESPN | PITT 55–26–3 |
| 85 | September 12, 1992 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 44 | Pittsburgh | 6 | PITT 55–27–3 | |
| 86 | October 23, 1993 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 42 | Pittsburgh | 21 | PITT 55–28–3 | |
| 87 | October 15, 1994 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 47 | Pittsburgh | 41 | PITT 55–29–3 | |
| 88 | November 24, 1995 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21 | Pittsburgh | 0 | ESPN | PITT 55–30–3 |
| 89 | August 31, 1996 | Pitt Stadium | West Virginia | 34 | Pittsburgh | 0 | ESPN | PITT 55–31–3 |
| 90 | November 28, 1997 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 41 | West Virginia | 38 | CBS | PITT 56–31–3 |
| 91 | November 27, 1998 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
West Virginia | 52 | Pittsburgh | 14 | CBS | PITT 56–32–3 |
| 92 | November 27, 1999 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52 | Pittsburgh | 21 | ESPN | PITT 56–33–3 |
| 93 | November 24, 2000 | Three Rivers Stadium | Pittsburgh | 38 | West Virginia | 28 | CBS | PITT 57–33–3 |
| 94 | November 24, 2001 | Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 23 | West Virginia | 17 | ESPN | PITT 58–33–3 |
| 95 | November 30, 2002 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
West Virginia | 24 | Pittsburgh | 17 | ABC | PITT 58–34–3 |
| 96 | November 15, 2003 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 52 | Pittsburgh | 31 | ESPN2 | PITT 58–35–3 |
| 97 | November 25, 2004 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 16 | West Virginia | 13 | ESPN | PITT 59–35–3 |
| 98 | November 24, 2005 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 45 | Pittsburgh | 13 | ESPN | PITT 59–36–3 |
| 99 | November 16, 2006 | Heinz Field | West Virginia | 45 | Pittsburgh | 27 | ESPN | PITT 59–37–3 |
| 100 2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game The 2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game was a college football game held in Morgantown, West Virginia that marked the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl rivalry... |
December 1, 2007 2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game The 2007 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia football game was a college football game held in Morgantown, West Virginia that marked the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl rivalry... |
Mountaineer Field | Pittsburgh | 13 | West Virginia | 9 | ESPN | PITT 60–37–3 |
| 101 | November 28, 2008 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh | 19 | West Virginia | 15 | ABC | PITT 61–37–3 |
| 102 | November 27, 2009 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 19 | Pittsburgh | 16 | ESPN2 | PITT 61–38–3 |
| 103 | November 26, 2010 | Heinz Field | West Virginia | 35 | Pittsburgh | 10 | ABC | PITT 61–39–3 |
| 104 | November 25, 2011 | Mountaineer Field | West Virginia | 21 | Pittsburgh | 20 | ESPN | PITT 61–40–3 |
Basketball
The basketball rivalry between the two schools began on February 17, 1905. The teams began competing annually since 1918, and have played each other at least once every season since then. Pitt began playing basketball in the Big East Conference in 1981, with the Mountaineers joining in 1995. The basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
rivalry has heated up over the last several years as each team has been among the best in the country and the games have taken on added significance. On February 9, 2006, for the first time in the history of the series, in the 169th edition, Pitt and WVU were both nationally ranked as they squared off in Pitt's Petersen Events Center
Petersen Events Center
Not to be confused with Petersen Sports Complex.The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's Pitt Panthers basketball teams...
. Pitt won, but a few weeks later, the two ranked teams played at WVU Coliseum
WVU Coliseum
The WVU Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena which is located in the Evansdale campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The circular arena features a poured concrete roof....
with the Mountaineers winning. In the 2008–09 season, the Panthers swept both games during the regular season and came into the tournament ranked #2, but were upset by the Mountaineers in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
- Championship Game :- Syracuse vs. Connecticut :The quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12 between Syracuse and Connecticut lasted for six overtime periods, the second-longest game in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history...
.
During a February 2010 game when Pittsburgh visited West Virginia, several times during the course of the game, West Virginia fans threw objects at the Pittsburgh team. A Pittsburgh assistant coach was injured when an object was thrown at him. The actions received widespread attention. During the second half of the game, coach Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
used a microphone to address the fans. West Virginia University President Jim Clements issued an apology to the University of Pittsburgh community. Additionally, West Virginia vowed to address security, as the incident closing followed similar occurrences in games against Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. This game was followed with a rematch nine days later in Pittsburgh, and while there were no off-court incidents, the game proved to be one of the most memorable in the history of the series as the 25th ranked Panthers upset the fourth ranked Mountaineers 98-95 in the first triple overtime basketball game to be played between the two schools.
In women's basketball, West Virginia leads the modern series, begun in 1975, 24-18.