The Backyard Brawl is one of the biggest rivalries in all of college football, so of course Pitt students will be out in full force. The gates typically open about an hour and a half before kickoff.
There are Pitt students who have been waiting at Gate C since at least 10 p.m. Friday night. The Backyard Brawl: it just means more.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday, and you can bet that the Pitt student section — and the overflow sections in the upper bowl — will be filled almost immediately upon the gates opening.
Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers are well aware of the impact the Panther Pitt provides on a weekly basis, and with the importance of the Backyard Brawl, he went ahead and preemptively thanked the section for its efforts in slowing down West Virginia.
“I think our Panther Pitt will be outstanding,” Narduzzi said Thursday at his weekly presser. “I want to thank ‘em prior to. I want our Panther Pitt to cause at least cause two unforced errors on offense, for them. I want it to be quiet when our offense goes out there, so we can communicate and get stuff done. I expect it to be rowdy and expect them to be in it for 60 minutes til the end. And I expect our football team to keep ‘em there engaged for 60.”
Pitt is 2-0 for the first time since 2021 and has a chance to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2020. It would mean a lot to beat West Virginia, earn some redemption after last season’s embarrassing performance in Morgantown, W.Va. and likely enter conference play at 4-0.
The Panthers are riding a wave of momentum after coming from behind to knock off Cincinnati on the road last weekend, and a win against West Virginia would go a very long way in setting the tone for the rest of the season.
The Panther Pitt will certainly do its best to help Pitt to a much-needed win.
Luv it, party on garth