For Better or Worse, the Backyard Brawl Could Be the Turning Point in WVU's Season

The Mountaineers can't afford to drop their second game of the season on Saturday.

Schuyler Callihan | Sep 14, 2024

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

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West Virginia Mountaineers

At roughly 7 p.m. tonight, there will be either a massive sigh of relief from West Virginia fans as the Mountaineers have moved to 2-1 or there will be a lot of frustration with head coach Neal Brown losing to Pitt for the second time in three years.

This is the first Backyard Brawl since the game returned where the end result won't impact either team's chances of making it to the College Football Playoff. I know it sounds crazy to be thinking of either of these teams as playoff caliber, but hey, you're in the mix until you're not.

Before the playoff expanded to twelve teams, losing a single game on your schedule left you with very little margin for error. Two-loss teams rarely made it in and teams with three or more losses never made it in the four-team format. Under the current setup, you could go 0-3 in non-conference playoff, lose a game in Big 12 play, and still make the College Football Playoff AND secure a bye with a 9-4 record and a Big 12 championship.

Many college football fans were against playoff expansion, but it's going to be a good thing for the sport. This will allow more teams to stay in the race a little longer, and hey, if you're that good you'll take care of business. If not, then you may get tripped up by a Group of Five team. That's the beauty of this new format. Everyone starts the season with a path to the CFP where as before you had to essentially run the table.

But as far as West Virginia is concerned this is a game you really can't afford to lose. It's not because of the playoff and it's not about the rivalry although beating your most-heated rival is the icing on the cake. It's about the schedule that lies ahead for WVU. If you haven't looked, I'd suggest you take a seat and take a deep breath before checking it out. It's a flat out gauntlet.

Sure, Kansas has lost two games in a row, but they're not going to be a walk in the park. Oklahoma State has always been a challenge for West Virginia, just as Iowa State and Kansas State have been. Throw in Arizona on the road at the end just for fun. Plain and simple, West Virginia needs this game against Pitt. Losing this game and falling to 1-2 could lead to players starting to feel the pressure and do things out of the ordinary to make plays happen rather than play within the scheme and do what they're asked.

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