In just eight days, the Backyard Brawl rivalry between West Virginia and Pitt will be renewed.
With so many previous classics between the two teams, along with some heated moments, this game has a lot of buildup and anticipation.
Today, we count down WVU’s top 10 victories against the Panthers, with today’s installment being numbers 10-6.
10. 2010 (35-10 WVU)
In 2010, West Virginia came into Pittsburgh looking for its first win in the Steel City since 2006, backed by sophomore quarterback Geno Smith. For this game, both WVU and Pitt were given Pro Combat uniforms by Nike, so the Mountaineers dawned coal inspired road whites.
Both sides scored a touchdown in the first quarter, but the Mountaineers took a seven-point lead into halftime when Will Johnson caught a touchdown in the second quarter.
In the second half, WVU dominated, outscoring the Panthers 21-3 behind the arm of Geno Smith. Early in the third quarter, Smith found star slot receiver Tavon Austin on a deep ball and Austin hauled it in and ran past the Pitt secondary for the touchdown.
Later in the quarter, Smith would go back to Austin by throwing a jump ball in the end zone from 12 yards out. Austin high-pointed the ball over the Pitt cornerback and secured his second touchdown catch of the day.
The Mountaineers added another touchdown in the fourth quarter and kept the Panthers off the board for the quarter to wrap up a 35-10 victory.
9. 2002 (24-17 WVU)
Coming into the 2002 season, not many people counted on West Virginia to make much noise. Second year head coach Rich Rodriguez proved those doubters wrong backed by quarterback Rasheed Marshall and the school’s all-time rushing leader Avon Cobourne at running back.
With the Backyard Brawl being at the formerly known Heinz Field, it made the game a homecoming for Pittsburgh native Rasheed Marshall.
Marshall made the most of the opportunity by making the two biggest plays of the game, despite the Panthers having star receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
At the end of the first quarter, Marshall gave the Mountaineers the lead by running in a 19-yard touchdown on a third down play.
With a 17-10 lead in the third quarter, Marshall eluded a Pitt defender who was close to making a sack and proceeded to connect with wide receiver Phil Braxton for a long, 79-yard touchdown.
Pitt scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it a one score game, but the Mountaineer defense came up big in the end.
Despite the Panthers getting into the red zone in the final seconds, WVU held on with a pass deflection as time expired to secure a 24-17 win.
8. 2003 (52-31 WVU)
In 2003, Pitt came to Morgantown looking to avenge its home loss in the previous year. The Panthers were led again by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, but this season, Fitzgerald would finish second in the Heisman Trophy race.
Unlike the season before, this game would go down as a shootout, with a combined 83 points being scored.
After a quarter, Pitt led 14-10 when Larry Fitzgerald caught a 23-yard touchdown and then a 45-yard touchdown.
Pitt led the WVU 24-17 in the final minute of the first half, but the Mountaineers snatched the momentum when West Virginia native John Pennington made a spectacular 28-yard touchdown catch. The game was tied 24-24 at the break.
In the third quarter and the majority of the fourth quarter, West Virginia came out and dominated. The Mountaineers outscored the Panthers 14-0 in the third quarter when Rasheed Marshall and Quincy Wilson both ran in touchdowns.
In the fourth, WVU added to its lead when Quincy Wilson ran in another two touchdowns, bringing his total on the day to three. Pitt scored a touchdown in the final five minutes, but the damage was already done, as the Mountaineers went on to win by a score of 52-31.
7. 2006 (45-27 WVU)
After a 2005 season that saw West Virginia win the Big East Conference along with the Sugar Bowl, the 2006 Mountaineers were well represented on national television.
Behind true sophomore phenomes Pat White and Steve Slaton, West Virginia’s offense was a nightmare for many defenses across the Big East. On this November night, Pitt’s defense would fall victim to the dynamic duo.
The first half was an offensive shootout, as Pitt brought the fight to West Virginia, in an effort to upset the No. 8 ranked Mountaineers.
In the first quarter, Steve Slaton rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass, as the Mountaineers held a 14-7 lead.
In the second, both teams had electric plays, as Pitt’s Darrelle Revis toyed with WVU’s special teams en route to a 73-yard punt return touchdown. Slaton answered Revis’s special play with another touchdown catch, this one from 67 yards out. At the half, Pitt led 27-24.
The Mountaineers dominated the entire second half, outscoring the Panthers 21-0. Early in the third quarter, Pat White showed his speed by scampering for a 64-yard touchdown on the ground. Later in the quarter, White ran for another touchdown, this time from 19 yards out.
In the fourth quarter, Steve Slaton wrapped things up when he broke free for a 55-yard touchdown. The Mountaineers went on to win in blowout fashion, by the score of 45-27.
Pat White accounted for 424 yards of total offense with two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns. Steve Slaton racked up 215 yards on the ground with two rushing touchdowns, along with 130 yards receiving and two more touchdowns.
6. 1895 (8-0 WVU)
What Backyard Brawl list would be complete without acknowledging the origins of the rivalry? In 1895, West Virginia and Pitt met for the first time on the gridiron, and this matchup took place in Morgantown.
This game was the only home game played in Morgantown for West Virginia that season, as the other games were spread across the state in Charleston, Wheeling, and Parkersburg.
In the first installment of the rivalry, the Mountaineers came out with an 8-0 win, and went on to win the next two games against Pitt in 1898 and 1900.
Tune in next week as we reveal the top five WVU victories over Pitt.
