NCAA Football: West Virginia at Pittsburgh
Imagn Images

Pittsburgh and West Virginia close out a four-year renewal of the bitter Backyard Brawl rivalry series on Saturday as the Mountaineers seek to draw even at two games apiece. These longtime foes will put their hatred on hiatus until 2029 after the Week 3 battle, so the bragging rights stakes are even higher this time around.

The 2025 clash welcomes West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez back to the series for the first time since 2007. He went 4-3 against the Panthers in his first stint but closed things out with an infamous loss that still haunts the Mountaineers program 18 years later. Rodriguez called the 13-9 loss that ruined West Virginia's chances of clinching a BCS Championship Game spot "the worst moment of my professional career."

Rodriguez could remove some of the bitter taste from his mouth with a win this weekend, but with an unbeaten Pittsburgh squad coming to town, his Mountaineers enter the rivalry game as underdogs on their home field.

Where to watch Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia live

Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium -- Morgantown, West Virginia
TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia: Need to know

Pittsburgh offense on fire: The Panthers are rolling offensively through two games. They stand in a tie for eighth nationally in scoring with an average of 53 points per game after trouncing Duquesne and Central Michigan. Opponent quality has a lot to do with this hot start, but offensive coordinator Kade Bell has a track record that withstood tests against Power Four teams last year, so this explosiveness is no fluke. Second-year quarterback Eli Holstein, with an ACC-best eight touchdowns through two games, is the engine that moves the bus.

West Virginia seeks bounce-back effort: The Mountaineers have yet to beat an FBS team this season after Ohio handed them their first loss of the campaign in Week 2. Rodriguez's offense managed a paltry 10 points and did not find the end zone in the final three quarters against a Group of Six foe. The running game has to be better, but not having running back Jahiem White for the season makes the task considerably harder. 

Kyle Louis gives Panthers defensive edge: Louis earned a nod as a first-team CBS Sports Preseason All-American and looked every bit the part of a star in Weeks 1 and 2. He is on pace to smash his career-best marks in tackles for loss and sacks with four and two, respectively, in the Panthers' pair of victories. The fourth-year junior will be the best player on the field this weekend.

Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia prediction, pick

After the puzzling effort West Virginia put on display a week ago, it might be tempting to fade the Mountaineers offense. But there is ample potential for points to fly onto the board this week. West Virginia operates with the second-fewest seconds per play in college football, and Pittsburgh wants to move quickly, too, with its No. 22-ranked tempo. Neither team will be all that inclined to slow things down, and neither has faced a Power Four offense yet this season. Two of the last three Backyard Brawl installations saw both teams score at least 31 points. Another shootout could be in store. Pick: Over 56.5