What the ESPN FPI Says About WVU's Chances vs Pitt

West Virginia is a major underdog in the Backyard Brawl.

Eleven years. That's how long it's been since West Virginia and Pitt last clashed in the Backyard Brawl. It's a rivalry that has been dormant for the last decade but the hatred and dislike between the two is still very much alive.

There's no better way to bring this storied rivalry back than on a Thursday night in primetime to open up the season. The Backyard Brawl will be the main event on Thursday and although there were a few games in Week 0, this will truly mark the start of the 2022 season. 

This year's Brawl will have an interesting twist to it as both starting quarterbacks, Kedon Slovis (Pitt) and JT Daniels (WVU), were teammates for a year at USC under current WVU offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. 

Both quarterbacks will face a challenging defensive front as Pitt has arguably the best d-line the Mountaineers will see all year and WVU's experienced group of Dante Stills, Taijh Alston, and Jordan Jefferson can cause the Panthers some problems. Fortunately for both gunslingers, they have an entire starting line returning from last season which is rare to see.

Pat Narduzzi's bunch is coming off an ACC Championship season and despite losing some key pieces such as QB Kenny Pickett (NFL) and WR Jordan Addison (USC), many believe the Panthers are primed to repeat in the ACC and potentially sneak into the College Football Playoff. 

With the lack of success in the first three years of the Neal Brwon era, the national perception is that Pitt will win this game with relative ease. Even the ESPN FPI believes so, giving Pitt a 78.1% chance to win the game to WVU's 21.9%.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted on ESPN.

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_.