Panther-Mountaineer rivalry gaining strength

It is about to be what it has always been — a rivalry.

Pitt and West Virginia. Eighty miles… It is about to be what it has always been — a rivalry.

Pitt and West Virginia. Eighty miles and a state line are not enough to dampen the rivalry between Pitt and West Virginia.

And come Thanksgiving, the tension between these two schools will be burning like a couch in the streets of Morgantown after an upset victory over a ranked opponent.

Why?

Because Panther and Mountaineer fans can forget about the gravy and wash down their Thanksgiving turkey with a dose of ESPN primetime football, Backyard Brawl style.

But there is something different about this year’s Pitt-West Virginia matchup. Both teams are entering the season without their major rival on the schedule.

Pitt is used to this, for Penn State has erased itself from the Panthers’ schedule for the past four years. The last time the two teams played was in 2000 when Pitt claimed the victory 12-0.

For Pitt fans, Penn State is the girl that got away. It’s hard to accept that she is gone and many years after the fact, you’ll still think of her as the one. On the other hand, she couldn’t care less about you anymore, which is where Penn State stands now.

Penn State has since moved on and stopped caring about Pitt, while Panther fans have longed for a rival. You can still buy a “Penn State Sucks” T-shirt at the Pitt Stop, but you’d be better off buying a shirt making wise cracks at Mountaineers. It has taken some time, but the hostility toward Penn State has finally begun to wear off.

West Virginia has found itself in a similar situation. Their biggest rival, Virginia Tech, has packed its bags and moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference. This removes the Hokies from West Virginia’s annual schedule and leaves the Mountaineers standing alone in the Appalachians looking for a new rival.

They don’t have to look far, but it will take some time.

Nathan Fordyce, a third-year student at West Virginia, still considers Virginia Tech their biggest rival, even now that the Hokies have left the Big East But he believes that Pitt will soon take over that title now that Virginia Tech is no longer on the schedule.

The are many elements in place that would make the Pitt-West Virginia rivalry one of the best in the nation, alongside greats like Ohio State-Michigan.

One is the fact that Pitt and West Virginia are now considered to be the “big dogs” in the newly reconstructed Big East Conference. The future may bring many Backyard Brawls to decide the Big East Champion, which is what Thanksgiving could mean for both of these teams this year.

That, in itself, is fuel for the fire. A nationally televised broadcast of this year’s Backyard Brawl at Heinz Field is certainly in the eyes of fans, players and coaches, on both sides. Parents of Pitt students will have to cook a smaller turkey this year, because the vast majority of the campus will be staying around for the big game.

Sorry, Mom.

Another thing that is making this rivalry grow is history. Pitt and West Virginia have been battling it out on the football field for more than 105 years now. The all-time record favors Pitt 58-35-3, but West Virginia holds the edge lately, winning the last two match-ups, including its 52-31 blowout last year in Morgantown.

That loss ruined Pitt’s chances at a Big East Title.

Now, the tables have turned, and West Virginia is slated to finish first in the conference. Pitt hopes to return the favor this year and upset West Virginia, which is entering the season ranked No. 11 in the country.

No matter what the score ends up being, one thing is for sure. Pitt and West Virginia will be one step closer to becoming that great rivalry that fans of both teams are looking for.