West Virginia Head Coach Rich Rodriguez was asked at his introductory press conference about the importance of the Pittsburgh game on the gridiron.
He didn’t leave any doubt.
“They can’t make it big enough. It’s the biggest that we play every year. You know, like I said four letter word. What do we say?” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez understands the meaning of the Backyard Brawl to the people of the state because he’s lived it. The Grant Town native grew up in West Virginia, then played for the Mountaineers from 1981-84 and previously served as the head coach from 2001-07.
West Virginia is set to play host to the Panthers Sept. 13 in the latest edition of the Backyard Brawl and will be the fourth in a four game series that began in 2022. The Backyard Brawl will then take a hiatus until 2029 when the two teams will play another four-game series until 2032.
The home team has won each game since the series resumed.
The Mountaineers would preferably like to have Pittsburgh on the schedule annually moving forward and Athletic Director Wren Baker didn’t sugarcoat that.
West Virginia wants to play one power five game out of the framework of the Big 12 Conference annually and the pick is a rather easy one.
“The Backyard Brawl is a special game, and we would like for that to be them,” he said.
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