West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Pittsburgh Panthers Pick & Prediction SEPTEMBER 14th 2024

Preview and Prediction

With a perfect 2-0 record, Pittsburgh is gearing up to face off against West Virginia in the 107th edition of the "Backyard Brawl" rivalry series on Saturday. This marks the first time since their 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference championship season that the Panthers have started with such a strong record.

In their last game against Cincinnati, Pitt had to stage a comeback in the second half to secure a 28-27 victory. They were down by 21 points before Ben Sauls' 35-yard field goal in the final 17 seconds sealed the win for them.

Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, has been a standout performer for the Panthers, becoming the first true or redshirt freshman since 1989 to have back-to-back 300-yard passing games. Additionally, Desmond Reid, who previously played for Western Carolina, made history by becoming the first Pitt player to record 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in a single game.

Head coach Pat Narduzzi expressed his belief in his team's ability to make a comeback, stating that their faith and belief in themselves were key to their success. He also acknowledged the importance of their upcoming game against West Virginia, a rivalry that has been put on hold due to realignment but has now been revived for the third consecutive year.

However, Narduzzi's press conference on Monday began with a statement about the departure of athletic director Heather Lyke. He thanked her for her contributions and wished her luck in her future endeavors.

West Virginia, on the other hand, bounced back from their season-opening loss to Penn State with a dominant 49-14 win over UAlbany. Quarterback Garrett Greene had an impressive performance, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another.

Despite their strong start, the Mountaineers will have to play without defensive lineman Eddie Vesterinen for a few weeks due to an injury sustained in their last game. Head coach Neal Brown acknowledged the pressure of playing against a lower-ranked team and praised his players for their performance.

Both teams are sure to bring their A-game to this highly anticipated rivalry game. For West Virginia, this will be their first time back at Acrisure Stadium since their disappointing loss to Pitt in 2022. Brown admits that the memory of that game is still fresh in his mind and will serve as motivation for his team.

PREDICTION

West Virginia Mountaineers

Pittsburgh Panthers