Pitt HC Slams Cincinnati, Fake Rivalry

Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi doesn't care for the River City Rivalry.

Nov 4, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts on the sidelines against the Florida State Seminoles during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers played the Cincinnati Bearcats in what is known as the River City Rivalry this past weekend, which turned into a fantastic game for the road team.

Pitt found themselves down 27-6 midway through the third quarter, but the offense started to get things going and along with a good defensive performance, allowed for an historical comeback, capped off with a 35-yard field goal from redshirt senior place kicker Ben Sauls.

The two schools don't play each other on the schedule for the forseeable future, with no scheduled games. This most recent game was a part of a home-and-away the two schools agreed to in the past, with Pitt hosting Cincinnati in 2023, losing that one 27-21.

Pitt and Cincinnati battled it out eight straight seasons from 2005-12 in the Big East, which is when the River City Rivalry name came about. The two teams only play four times previous in 1921-22 and in 1979 and 1981.

Narduzzi addressed the Backyard Brawl, featuring Pitt and West Virginia, which will kickoff this weekend on Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium in his opening press confernece.

He chose to compare the Backyard Brawl to the River City Rivalry, in terms of what is a "real" rivalry and what is not actually a rivalry.

"...Obviously, gigantic," Narduzzi said on the Backyard Brawl. "Really, really, really big rivalry game here and there’s maybe not many more important rivalry games in the country. You guys can talk about the River City Rivalry. We all know that’s not a rivalry. This weekend, if you don’t know anything about rivalries, this is the one. This is the one that Pittsburgh live for and people down south live for…"

His comment come off as contradictory to the one he made in his final press conference before facing Cincinnati, saying that he would, in fact, want to play them at some point in the future.

Narduzzi did serve as the defensive coordinator for the Bearcats from 2004-06, with his final two seasons facing the Panthers, who defeated them.

"I would like to see it…it’s a rivalry game, I would like to see it played again. It’s not far away, it’s close, it’s a heck of a game and there’s something to it. Can’t play everybody though.”

Pitt won the first seven games of the series, including the first three in the Big East, but Cincinnati would come out victorious in four of the final five games in conference play. This includes 2008, when they clinched their first Big East Title, and in 2009, when they won the de facto Big East Championship at Heinz Field, coming back from 21 points down to defeat Pitt.

The history of the Backyard Brawl greatly overshadows the River City Rivalry. It started between the two schools in 1895 and they've faced off 106 times since then, with Pitt holding a 62-41-3 lead in the rivalry.

Pitt and West Virginia will play the next two seasons and then four straight seasons from 2029-32.

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