A new rivalry could be in our backyard

Pitt’s football program, despite this weekend’s loss to the West Virginia University… Pitt’s football program, despite this weekend’s loss to the West Virginia University Mountaineers, is poised to become a major player in the college football scene, and the Mountaineers can help them do it.

Panthers football used to be defined by a rivalry with Penn State. Pitt doesn’t play them anymore, and, in light of their recent performances, they are no longer worthy rivals anyway. But there is another praiseworthy combatant in the Big East, a gladiator the Panthers face every year.

That team is WVU. The Mountaineers already consider the Panthers their big rivals; why shouldn’t Pitt play along? As Pitt fans who continue clinging to the “Penn State Sucks” tradition can attest, rivalries are no fun – in fact, they can be sort of pathetic – when they are one-sided.

With a little work, this could be the rivalry that defines the Big East.

Pittsburgh is closer to Morgantown, W.Va., than to Happy Valley. It would be simple enough for Pitt Program Council or another administrative body to provide buses to get fans to the game – ideally for free, but most fans likely wouldn’t begrudge a nominal fee to participate in a raucous, new tradition.

Proximity also figures into the schools’ respective recruiting efforts. Because Pitt and WVU are close geographically, many of the players may know one another, and many students and athletes who went to high school together attend the two schools.

Then there is the idea of enthusiasm. Last year’s Backyard Brawl was the first time the Panthers sold out Heinz Field – and about half the fans were from Morgantown. Clearly the Mountaineers care about this rivalry and are willing to go the extra mile to make it fun. This weekend, at WVU, Panthers fans weren’t well-represented. If fans were willing to change that, a rivalry could flourish.

The Mountaineers obviously have passion about their program. Before home games, the university and local police put forth a concerted effort to keep students from rioting and burning couches in the streets. After this weekend’s game, all the work paid off, and Morgantown didn’t burn – which would have been a nice consolation for Pitt’s loss, but kudos to the Mountaineers; they still have a city.

These days, Penn State truly does suck. Pitt should let that one-sided rivalry die, and throw themselves into a realistic and fun one with WVU.