Pitt Opens as Underdogs to West Virginia

The Pitt Panthers open as underdogs vs. the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Backyard Brawl.

Pittsburgh Panthers Kenny Johnson (2) gets tackled by West Virginia Mountaineers Trey Lathan (19) during the second half at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV on September 16, 2023. / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will come in as underdogs when they take on rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl on Sept. 14 at Acrisure Stadium.

The Mountaineers are -2.5 point favorites over the Panthers according to FanDuel. To win this bet on the Mountaineers, they would need to beat the Panthers by at least three points. To win the bet on the Panthers, they would have to win the game, or lose the game to the Mountaineers by two points on less. 

West Virginia is also -128 and Pitt is +106 to win for the money line, a wager on the outcome of the game. A bettor would need to place a $128 wager just to win a $100 on West Virginia if they come out victorious, and a $100 wager on Pitt to win would earn the bettor $106.

The over/under is at 59.5 points with -115 for the over and -105 for the under. A bettor would need to make a wager of $115 to win an extra $100 if they are right about both teams scoring more than 59.5 points per game and a bettor would need to bet $105 to win an extra $100 if they are right about both teams scoring less than 59.5 total points in the game.

The Backyard Brawl 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.

The Panthers and Mountaineers faced off every year from 1920-1939 and then after the Second World War, they played every year from 1943-2011, 69 straight seasons, with a home-and-away alternate format from 1962-2011. 

Conference realignment put a hold on the rivalry after the 2011 season, as both teams left the now defunct Big East. WVU left for the Big 12 after 2011 and Pitt departed for the ACC after 2012.

The two schools agreed to bring the Backyard Brawl back in 2022 through 2025. They also agreed later on to make another four-year series from 2029-2032. 

Pitt and WVU played in front of the largest crowd ever for a sporting event in Pittsburgh with the return of the Backyard Brawl in 2022 at 70,622. Pitt would win that one late on an pick-six from M.J. Devonshire, 38-31.

The Mountaineers came back last year and won 17-6 at Milan Puskar Stadium, as Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed 8-of-20 passes with three interceptions in the defeat.

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