Backyard Brawl

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Pitt Panthers-West Virginia Mountaineers
  
History
1st Meeting October 26, 1895
Last Meeting December 1, 2007
Next Meeting November 28, 2008
Number of Meetings 100
All-Time Series PIT: 60-37-3
Largest victory PIT: 53-0 (11/08/1904)
Current Streak PIT: Won 1
Longest PIT Win Streak 15 (1929-1946)
Longest WVU Win Streak 5 (1992-1996)

The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The rivalry is the 14th oldest college rivalry in the United States. This intense rivalry is always shown on national television. In the past, the Backyard Brawl has been seen on ABC, CBS,ESPN, and ESPN2. In 2008, the Backyard Brawl will be on Thanksgiving Friday (11/28/08) on ABC. Both schools are currently members of the Big East Conference, making the Backyard Brawl the oldest rivalry in the conference. Through the first 100 games played between these two schools, Pitt leads the series by a 60-37-3 margin. On Saturday, December 1, 2007 the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl took place at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. The 4-7 Panthers upset the second-ranked Mountaineers 13-9, knocking West Virginia out of the BCS National Championship Game. 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. [1]

Contents

[edit] History

First played in 1895, the game has historically been one of the more intense rivalries in the eastern United States. The rivalry between the two schools is due mainly to proximity. WVU's campus in Morgantown, West Virginia is only about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh (via Interstate 79), and the two schools often compete for the same recruits. Of these recruits, 400 have become National Football League players, including 27 first round draft picks. There have also been 100 First Team All-Americans and 57 other All-Americans.

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, now the home to Fairmont State University, and one in Wheeling, West Virginia. 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, Pittsbugh won 38-0, taking a 6-5-1 lead in the series, and has led ever since.

[edit] Location

The location of the Backyard Brawl has varied much throughout its history. The very first game took place in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1895. The next meeting, in 1898, was held in Fairmont, a short distance south of Morgantown. 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, the North Shore home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 1910 was the first time the Backyard Brawl was held on the Pittsburgh campus, at brand-new Forbes Field. The series was held here for eight of the next nine years, until the opening of Pitt Stadium 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 in Morgantown. In 1998 and 2000, the game was played at Three Rivers Stadium. The most recent change took place in 2002, when the Backyard Brawl was played for the first time at Heinz Field, the new, full-time home of the Panthers, a year after it was opened.

[edit] Game results

Pittsburgh victories shaded in ██ gold. West Virginia victories are shaded ██ blue.

# Date Site Winning team Losing team Series
1 1895-10-26  Wheeling  West Virginia     8 Pittsburgh           0 WVU 1-0
2 1898-11-04 Fairmont West Virginia 6 Pittsburgh 0 WVU 2-0
3 1900-10-06 Morgantown West Virginia 6 Pittsburgh 5 WVU 3-0
4 1901-10-05 Morgantown Pittsburgh 12 West Virginia 0 WVU 3-1
5 1902-10-22 Exposition Park West Virginia 23 Pittsburgh 6 WVU 4-1
6 1903-10-03 Morgantown West Virginia 24 Pittsburgh 6 WVU 5-1
7 1904-11-08 Exposition Park Pittsburgh 53 West Virginia 0 WVU 5-2
8 1906-11-10 Exposition Park Pittsburgh 17 West Virginia 0 WVU 5-3
9 1907-11-09 Exposition Park Pittsburgh 10 West Virginia 0 WVU 5-4
10 1908-11-07 Exposition Park Pittsburgh 11 West Virginia 0 Tied 5-5
11 1909-11-06 Morgantown West Virginia 0 Pittsburgh 0 Tied 5-5-1
12 1910-11-05 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 38 West Virginia 0 PITT 6-5-1
13 1913-10-11 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 40 West Virginia 0 PITT 7-5-1
14 1917-09-29 Morgantown Pittsburgh 14 West Virginia 9 PITT 8-5-1
15 1919-10-11 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 26 West Virginia 0 PITT 9-5-1
16 1920-10-09 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 34 West Virginia 13 PITT 10-5-1
17 1921-10-08 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 21 West Virginia 14 PITT 11-5-1
18 1922-10-14 Forbes Field West Virginia 9 Pittsburgh 6 PITT 11-6-1
19 1923-10-13 Forbes Field West Virginia 13 Pittsburgh 7 PITT 11-7-1
20 1924-10-11 Forbes Field Pittsburgh 14 West Virginia 7 PITT 12-7-1
21 1925-10-10 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 15 West Virginia 7 PITT 13-7-1
22 1926-11-06 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 17 West Virginia 7 PITT 14-7-1
23 1927-10-08 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 40 West Virginia 0 PITT 15-7-1
24 1928-10-13 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 9 Pittsburgh 6 PITT 15-8-1
25 1929-10-08 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 27 West Virginia 7 PITT 16-8-1
26 1930-10-04 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 16 West Virginia 0 PITT 17-8-1
27 1931-10-10 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 34 West Virginia 0 PITT 18-8-1
28 1932-10-01 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 40 West Virginia 0 PITT 19-8-1
29 1933-10-07 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 21 West Virginia 0 PITT 20-8-1
30 1934-10-06 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 27 West Virginia 6 PITT 21-8-1
31 1935-10-12 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 24 West Virginia 6 PITT 22-8-1
32 1936-10-03 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 34 West Virginia 0 PITT 23-8-1
33 1937-10-02 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 20 West Virginia 0 PITT 24-8-1
34 1938-09-24 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 19 West Virginia 0 PITT 25-8-1
35 1939-10-07 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 20 West Virginia 0 PITT 26-8-1
36 1943-10-09 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 20 West Virginia 0 PITT 27-8-1
37 1944-09-23 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 26 West Virginia 13 PITT 28-8-1
38 1945-09-29 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 30 West Virginia 0 PITT 29-8-1
39 1946-09-28 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 33 West Virginia 7 PITT 30-8-1
40 1947-11-29 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 17 Pittsburgh 2 PITT 30-9-1
41 1948-10-09 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 16 West Virginia 6 PITT 31-9-1
42 1949-10-08 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 20 West Virginia 7 PITT 32-9-1
43 1950-11-04 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 21 West Virginia 7 PITT 33-9-1
44 1951-11-17 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 32 West Virginia 12 PITT 34-9-1
45 1952-10-25 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 16 Pittsburgh 0 PITT 34-10-1
46 1953-09-26 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 17 Pittsburgh 7 PITT 34-11-1
47 1954-10-30 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 13 West Virginia 10 PITT 35-11-1
48 1955-11-12 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 26 West Virginia 7 PITT 36-11-1
49 1956-09-22 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 14 West Virginia 13 PITT 37-11-1
50 1957-11-09 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 7 Pittsburgh 6 PITT 37-12-1
51 1958-10-18 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 15 West Virginia 8 PITT 38-12-1
52 1959-10-17 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 23 Pittsburgh 15 PITT 38-13-1
53 1960-10-15 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 42 West Virginia 0 PITT 39-13-1
54 1961-10-14 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 20 Pittsburgh 6 PITT 39-14-1
55 1962-10-13 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 15 Pittsburgh 8 PITT 39-15-1
56 1963-10-19 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 13 West Virginia 10 PITT 40-15-1
57 1964-10-10 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 14 West Virginia 0 PITT 41-15-1
58 1965-10-02 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 63 Pittsburgh 48 PITT 41-16-1
59 1966-10-08 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 17 West Virginia 14 PITT 42-16-1
60 1967-10-07 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 15 Pittsburgh 0 PITT 42-17-1
61 1968-09-28 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38 Pittsburgh 15 PITT 42-18-1
62 1969-10-25 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 49 Pittsburgh 18 PITT 42-19-1
63 1970-10-17 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 36 West Virginia 35 PITT 43-19-1
64 1971-10-02 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 20 Pittsburgh 9 PITT 43-20-1
65 1972-11-04 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38 Pittsburgh 20 PITT 43-21-1
66 1973-10-13 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 35 West Virginia 7 PITT 44-21-1
67 1974-10-12 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 31 West Virginia 14 PITT 45-21-1
68 1975-11-08 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 17 Pittsburgh 14 PITT 45-22-1
69 1976-11-13 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 24 West Virginia 16 PITT 46-22-1
70 1977-11-05 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 44 West Virginia 3 PITT 47-22-1
71 1978-11-11 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 52 West Virginia 7 PITT 48-22-1
72 1979-11-10 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 24 West Virginia 17 PITT 49-22-1
73 1980-10-18 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 42 West Virginia 14 PITT 50-22-1
74 1981-10-10 Mountaineer Field* Pittsburgh 17 West Virginia 0 PITT 51-22-1
75 1982-10-02 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 16 West Virginia 13 PITT 52-22-1
76 1983-10-01 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 24 Pittsburgh 21 PITT 52-23-1
77 1984-09-29 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 28 Pittsburgh 10 PITT 52-24-1
78 1985-09-28 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 10 Pittsburgh 10 PITT 52-24-2
79 1986-09-27 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh 48 West Virginia 16 PITT 53-24-2
80 1987-09-26 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 6 West Virginia 3 PITT 54-24-2
81 1988-09-24 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 31 Pittsburgh 10 PITT 54-25-2
82 1989-09-30 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 31 Pittsburgh 31 PITT 54-25-3
83 1990-09-29 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 38 Pittsburgh 24 PITT 54-26-3
84 1991-08-31 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 34 West Virginia 3 PITT 55-26-3
85 1992-09-12 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 44 Pittsburgh 6 PITT 55-27-3
86 1993-10-23 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 42 Pittsburgh 21 PITT 55-28-3
87 1994-10-15 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 47 Pittsburgh 41 PITT 55-29-3
88 1995-11-24 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 21 Pittsburgh 0 PITT 55-30-3
89 1996-08-31 Pitt Stadium West Virginia 34 Pittsburgh 0 PITT 55-31-3
90 1997-11-28 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 41 West Virginia 38 PITT 56-31-3
91 1998-11-27 Three Rivers Stadium West Virginia 52 Pittsburgh 14 PITT 56-32-3
92 1999-11-27 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 52 Pittsburgh 21 PITT 56-33-3
93 2000-11-24 Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh 38 West Virginia 28 PITT 57-33-3
94 2001-11-24 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 23 West Virginia 17 PITT 58-33-3
95 2002-11-30 Heinz Field West Virginia 24 Pittsburgh 17 PITT 58-34-3
96 2003-11-15 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 52 Pittsburgh 31 PITT 58-35-3
97 2004-11-25 Heinz Field Pittsburgh 16 West Virginia 13 PITT 59-35-3
98 2005-11-24 Mountaineer Field West Virginia 45 Pittsburgh 13 PITT 59-36-3
99 2006-11-16 Heinz Field West Virginia 45 Pittsburgh 24 PITT 59-37-3
100 2007-12-01 Mountaineer Field Pittsburgh 13 West Virginia 9 PITT 60-37-3

[edit] Basketball

The basketball end of the rivalry has heated up over the last few years as each team has been among the best in the country. 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. Pitt won, but mere weeks later, the two ranked teams played at WVU Coliseum--the Mountaineers took the rematch. The two teams then faced each other in the Big East Conference Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The Panthers won the 2006 rubber match, 68-57. WVU leads the all-time series, 92-80. On February 7, 2007, Pitt defeated WVU 60-47 at Morgantown, WV. They next played on February 27, 2007 and Pitt won 80-66. The February 7, 2008 meeting proved to be one of the most exciting in recent history, as 21st-ranked Pitt prevailed at home 55-54 following a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded. On March 3, 2008, Pitt traveled to The Coliseum in Morgantown for the second game of the season, resulting in a 76-62 Mountaineer victory. At the game members of the Oakland Zoo held signs which read "13-9" in remembrance of the upset in the football game.


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