Backyard Brawl is again loaded with passion, drama

Associated Press

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.

A close Big East race, two coaches with a competitive past and rival schools whose century-old series is in flux — yep, the bitter Backyard Brawl has its usual passion and drama.

The winner of the game between the schools 70 miles apart will remain in contention for the league title when West Virginia and Pittsburgh meet tonight.

The Mountaineers (7-3, 3-2 Big East) and Panthers (5-5, 3-2) were picked in the preseason to finish 1-2 in the conference, but missteps along the way have forged a tight conference race that will come down to next week’s final games.

For now, the focus is on a 116-year-old series with an uncertain future and the final home game for 22 West Virginia seniors.

“It’s definitely amped up a lot because of the history behind this rivalry,” West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith said. “We obviously want to make sure the pride stays on our side. We’ve won two straight. We want to win three straight. We definitely know about this rivalry. We take it very serious.”

Pittsburgh is leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference and West Virginia is set to move to the Big 12. The schools’ administrators still have to figure out their future nonconference schedules and decide whether and how often this series will be played. Both athletic directors have indicated they’ll like to do just that.

West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen and Pittsburgh’s Todd Graham will take the field in the Backyard Brawl as head coaches for the first time. They’ve faced each other three times previously when Holgorsen, as offensive coordinator at Houston and Oklahoma State, got the best of Graham’s Tulsa teams.

Houston stunned No. 25 Tulsa 70-30 in 2008, a loss Graham called “embarrassing.” The following year, No. 13 Houston won 46-45 at Tulsa. Afterward, Holgorsen accused Tulsa’s defensive players of faking injuries to try to slow Houston’s offense.