Score Predictions for West Virginia at Pitt

The Mountaineers Now staff offers thoughts on the Backyard Brawl.

The West Virginia Mountaineers and the Pitt Panthers kickoff the 2022 season with the Backyard Brawl Thursday night at seven and will be broadcasting on ESPN. 

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 33 - Pitt 31

I've said it for weeks. This Pitt team is really good, but I think they're getting a little too much love. Replacing Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison is no easy task, especially against a stiff West Virginia defense to start the season. These two teams are very similar on paper and I see that translating to the field with a very close game wire to wire. It'll be a slow first half for both offenses, but they'll both find their groove early in the third trading scores throughout much of the second half. Pitt will take the lead late with a touchdown run from Israel Abanikanda to go up one, but Casey Legg wins it for the Mountaineers in walk-off style with a 47-yard field goal as time expires.

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 34 - Pitt 13

A little over a week ago, I predicted WVU to win by four 27-23, but the more I dug into the Panthers, it still puzzles me as to why they would veer away from an offense that brought the program to heights it had not seen in four decades. 

Pitt does bring back the entire offensive line but a unit transitioning from pass protection with a mobile quarterback to an offense looking to run the ball is a tough move to make in one offseason. Granted, they did bring in a talented QB in Kedon Slovis and he is more than capable of slinging the ball around, but his success will be determined on the guys around him, and there are unproven weapons on the outside. 

Yes, you can say the same arguments for WVU and Pitt, there's more optimism than production but West Virginia did not lose ACC Player of the Year and a Biletnikoff winner. 

The Pitt defense is tough, especially along the defense line, but Pitt likes to leave their corners on an island, and has struggled in pass coverage, most notably, against AIR RAID offenses. I suspect newly hired WVU OC Graham Harrell and QB JT Daniels will find the holes in the defense. 

The WVU defense has several newcomers in the secondary but brought in veterans from the FCS level to replace the talent lost. I suspect this unit will slow the running game and force Slovis to win the game with his arm. He won't. Mountaineers pull away from the Panthers in the second half with a 34-13 victory. 

Julia Mellett: West Virginia 34 - Pitt 27

The No. 16 Pitt Panthers aren't starting out their season with a non-con cupcake. This iteration of the Backyard Brawl is pitting two hungry, angry teams, and I believe the score will reflect that.

A couple touchdowns a-piece is perfectly reasonable based on the buzz surrounding Daniels and Slovis, two passing threats. I don't think either team will hold a lead for extended periods of time, and the scoring will stretch down to the wire. WVU had a huge disparity in scoring-per-quarter last season, and opponents capitalized. If Daniels and the improved offensive line can keep production spread evenly, I think Mountaineer fans will see an overall, revamped offense this season.

Both defenses will keep the score in check, and I don't see this game confined between the hashes. The Mountaineers and Panthers both have cornerbacks coming into this match-up highly lauded. Of note, WVU's linebackers and safeties have significant experience under their belts, but not at West Virginia. That's where I see, potentially, a breakdown in DC Jordan Lesley's approach. 

If transfers like MLB Lee Kpogba, SPEAR Jasir Cox, CBs Rashad Ajayi and Wesley McCormick, and FS Marcis Floyd have the seasons their position coaches have projected, this may be a moot point. If not, the issues will be glaring early.

WVU's special teams unit is a full game-time decision. WVU's K Casey Legg was a huge factor in last season's small increment-scoring, and I have no reason to think that he'd be squandered tomorrow. Every other position around him is battling for action, though. Fans will likely see punts swapped between Oliver Straw and Kolton McGhee, as it's unclear who will snag that spot.

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us Twitter:

Facebook - @WVUonSI

Twitter - @SI_WVU and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.

Christopher Hall @WVHallBilly.

Julia Mellett @JuliaMellett.