Is the Backyard Brawl Being Disrespected Among CFB Rivalries?

(By Nathan Breisinger, Pittsburgh Sports Now) – The Backyard Brawl went on a hiatus for 10 seasons when conference realignment shifted West Virginia and Pitt from the Big East to two different conferences.

Sitting nearly 70 miles apart, it was imperative for both schools to finally get each other back on the schedule and it finally happened with the return of the rivalry in 2022.

While the game might have lost some of its luster over the past decade or so due to the long break, the return of the rivalry has showcased why its one of the more exciting matchups in the country.

Between the atmospheres, high-scoring games, big-time plays, defensive battles and more, the rivalry has had it all in its return and has shown why it needs played every year.

WVU and Pitt players get into a small scrum late in the Backyard Brawl Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

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But where does this game stack up among other rivalries around college football?

The Athletic released a ranking on Monday of the best 100 rivalries in the sport and the Backyard Brawl was lower than many expected.

West Virginia-Pitt was the No. 26 rivalry in all of college football. It ranked lower than other matchups such as Iowa-Wisconsin, Michigan-Notre Dame, USC-UCLA and others.

Hershey McLaurin runs the ball after a blocked punt on special teams against Pitt in the 2022 Backyard Brawl. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

In a separate article, The Athletic ranked rivalry names and the Backyard Brawl checked in at No. 24.

“It’s another great rivalry paused by conference realignment, but at least they’re playing a four-game series now and have another on the docket. These are two words that accurately describe the matchup. It’s only this low on the list because it’s a bit generic,” Chris Vannini wrote.

West Virginia and Pitt are set to meet for the 108th time in 2025 at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va. on Sept. 13. Game time is set for 3:30 and will be shown on ESPN.

The rivalry will take another break after this season and will return for a four-game run from 2029 to 2032.

This story initially appeared on our partner site Pittsburgh Sports Now.