Inside The Panthers

WVU HC Rich Rodriguez Says Pitt Sucks

The new West Virginia head coach took a shot at the Pitt Panthers

Dominic Campbell

Nov 16, 2006; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez is seen on the sidelines in the first half against Pittsburgh at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-Imagn Images Copyright (c) 2006 Jason Bridge
Nov 16, 2006; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez is seen on the sidelines in the first half against Pittsburgh at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-Imagn Images Copyright (c) 2006 Jason Bridge / Jason Bridge-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH — West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez is not fond of the Pitt Panthers whatsoever and took yet another shot at them.

Rodriguez and his staff were promoting the football team and asked fans to buy season tickets at the WVU Coliseum, during the WVU basketball game vs. Cincinnati on Feb. 19. During the promotion, he brought up the Backyard Brawl and made sure to take a jab at their biggest rival at the end of it.

"We're 206 days until we play Pitt," Rodriguez said "And, oh, that's right, Pitt sucks. Go Mountaineers."

This isn't the first time Rodriguez has slammed Pitt in recent months, doing so on the Pat McAfee show and during his team's schedule release.

The Mountaineers hired Rodriguez as their coach this offseason, marking his second stint with the program.

Rodriguez spent seven seasons as head coach of West Virginia from 2001-07, leading them to a 60-26 overall record and 34-14 in the Big East, including at least a share of four Big East Titles.

He also went 4-3 against Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, but his final game against them is the one that both sets of fanbases remember the most.

WVU came in at No. 2 in the country, 11-0, and faced a poor Pitt team at 4-7 on Dec. 1, 2007 at Milan Puskar Stadium. They struggled throughout the game, as their incredible offense faltered and lost the infamous, or famous for Pitt fans, 13-9 defeat that ended their chances at a National Championship game.

Rodriguez then left after the game for Michigan, which will make this season his first with the program in 18 years.

The Panthers will travel to Morgantown to face the Mountaineers on Sept. 13 in Week 3 of the 2025 season.

The Backyard Brawl started between the two schools in 1895 and they've faced off 107 times since then, with Pitt holding a 63-41-3 lead in the rivalry.

The Panthers and Mountaineers battled 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 got revenge in 2023 and won 17-6 at Milan Puskar Stadium, as Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed 8-of-20 passes with three interceptions in the defeat.

Both teams faced of again at Acrisure Stadium in Week 3 of the 2024 season, which saw Pitt erase a 10-point deficit with five minutes remaining and get the comeback win.

This upcoming matchup will mark the end of the first four-game series, with the next Backyard Brawl not until 2029 in Pittsburgh.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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