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College Football Rivalries: Top 5 Rivalry Games That Need To Be Renewed

By Patrick Schmidt

Sep 6, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; The Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 6, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; The Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 27, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet sits on the sidelines against the Akron Zips during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Akron won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet sits on the sidelines against the Akron Zips during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Akron won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Pittsburgh Panthers – West Virginia Mountaineers

Total Meetings: 104
Series Record: PITT: 61–40–3
First Meeting: October 26, 1895
Last Meeting: November 25, 2011
Longest PITT Win Streak: 15 (1929–46)
Longest WVU Win Streak: 5 (1992–96)

The Backyard Brawl between Pittsburgh and West Virginia was one of the more fierce and intense rivalries along the east coast since its inception in 1891 until it came to an abrupt end in 2011. The campuses of the Panthers and Mountaineers are separated about 75 miles apart on I-79 and that proximity was an integral aspect to one of the best rivalries in college football.

Nov 9, 2013; Morgantown, WV, USA; The West Virginia Mountaineers mascot celebrates during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2013; Morgantown, WV, USA; The West Virginia Mountaineers mascot celebrates during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Conference realignment and expansion saw this rivalry die when West Virginia left the Big East for the Big 12 in 2012 Pittsburgh leaving the Big for the ACC in 2013. West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck is hopeful the two programs can rekindle this rivalry that peaked in 2007 when Pitt upset the No. 2 Mountaineers in West Virginia to knock them out of the BCS National Championship Game.

"“At some point we’ll get Pitt back on the schedule. What I’m trying to do with our nonconference games is stay as regional as possible and rekindle some of our historical rivalries. Penn State is back on the schedule. Virginia Tech is back on the schedule. That game meant a lot to southern West Virginians. The Pitt game meant a lot to northern West Virginians,” — Luck on trying to rekindle the rivalry, via ESPN."

It is theoretically possible the two programs could meet in the Russell Athletic Bowl that pairs an ACC team against a Big 12 team, but scheduling a home-and-home series in the next decade would be an ideal solution so both campuses can host a game.

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