Take 4 | Pressure, trash talk and even logic won’t stop the Panthers on Saturday

The Panthers enter the highly anticipated Backyard Brawl undefeated at 2-0 after an impressive comeback win in week two. The brawl is always competitive and emotional for players and fans as both teams hope to secure a win in a rivalry that dates back over 100 years, and The Pitt News sports desk is excited and underway with fiery opinions on how the day will shake out. 

Panther weapons need to stay steady under pressure // Lily Goldstein

Although Pitt holds the edge in rivalry winning percentage, after last season’s 3-9 (2-6 ACC) record, some predict a loss for the Panthers despite the strong start to this 2024 season. Redshirt first-year quarterback Eli Holstein left the crowd in awe after his stellar performance in Pitt’s 55-24 season opener over Kent State and delivered another fine performance in the last win over Cincinnati. Additionally, junior running back Desmond Reid has proven to be a weapon early in the season as one of the nation’s top backs. The Panthers have offensive weapons, but Holstein must find his rhythm early in the game if they want to beat West Virginia.

As demonstrated in the River City Rivalry game against Cincinnati, the Panthers and their young quarterback can perform under pressure. This game will be physical and competitive, and fans should anticipate a close score. Expect a game that comes down to the last drive, and feel confident that Pitt will pull out a late fourth quarter scoring drive to secure the win against the Mountaineers.

Fans in Acrisure are ready to talk that talk on Saturday // Camille de Jesus

Fans of both teams have been vocal on how they feel this match-up will play out. Whether you’re predicting a game full of turnovers or big defensive and offensive plays, one thing that’s sure to be seen and heard this weekend is a whole lot of trash talk. 

The hatred between these schools runs extremely deep. Their first meeting dates back to 1895, and this rivalry has aged progressively over the last 100 years. The hatred gained a whole new meaning in December of 2007, when an unranked Panthers team beat the No. 2 West Virginia team at the time, robbing them of an opportunity to play for a National Championship. 

The tradition of hatred will be seen in the clothes worn by fans, the signs held up in student sections, the posts on social media and the chants heard at games. Regardless of if you’re a Panther fan or a Mountaineer fan, be sure to wake up Saturday morning with your thick skin on, because there’s no doubt this weekend will be filled with an insane amount of torment and heckling. 

Panthers throw logic out the door as they look to upset their rival at home // Alex Porter

Logic dictates the Mountaineers should claim victory this year. Coming off an impressive 9-4 season, compared to Pitt’s 3-9 2023 campaign, WVU travels to Pittsburgh as the favorite. 

The Mountaineers return with junior running back CJ Donaldson, who gashed the 2023 Panthers for over 100 yards last season. Analysts expect WVU senior quarterback Garrett Greene’s dual-threat abilities to trouble a Narduzzi defense as he looks for a signature win. 

However, a rivalry weekend is the time to throw logic out the window. Logic would also dictate a team down 27-6 with a minute left in the third quarter should lose, and we all saw how that turned out last Saturday in Cincy. Equally as crucial, Pitt’s defense slammed the door shut in the fourth quarter of that game. Unlike last season, they had offensive energy to feed off of — forcing three straight punts and a fumble recovery to end the game.

The Mountaineers may burn Pitt’s man coverage to start the game and pick up the copious blitzes. But by the fourth quarter, expect Narduzzi’s relentless defense to rise to the occasion. And with a deafening home crowd in support, I predict Pitt’s defense will deliver yet another game-winning play. Panther faithfuls fondly remember SirVocea Dennis’ interception against Clemson or MJ Devonshire’s heroics versus WVU. The only question remaining is “Who’s next?”

Pitt and WVU share one of the best rivalries in college ball // James Carter

In my humble opinion, the Backyard Brawl is a top 10 rivalry in college football. The two campuses are separated 70 miles down I-79 and share the Monongahela River. Pitt is the research school in a big city, and WVU is the rural agricultural school in the middle of nowhere. The millworkers of Pittsburgh and the coal miners of West Virginia create an “us vs them” mentality that goes deeper than who you root for or where you went to school.

The hatred shared between the two schools is also among the most intense in college football. It’s safe to say any interaction between a Pitt fan and a West Virginia fan has the chance to devolve into the usual excrement-laden chants and mentions of a certain score from 2007.

The Panthers currently hold a 62-41-3 lead all-time, but the Mountaineers have swung the pendulum since the 90s and 6 of the last 10 have been decided by one possession. 

You’d be hard-pressed to find two schools that hate each other as much as Pitt and that school down I-79 do.