MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Backyard Brawl isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. West Virginia University Director of Athletics Wren Baker announced that the storied rivalry with Pitt has been extended for four more years, covering the 2033–36 seasons.
The extension ensures that one of college football’s most heated and historic rivalries will continue well into the next decade.
“It’s always a great day when you can extend one of the best rivalries in all of college sports,” Baker said. “I want to thank Pitt Athletic Director Allan Greene for his help in extending the Backyard Brawl, and there is no doubt that today’s announcement is a win for not only fans of the two Universities but for all of college football.”
The new contract begins with a matchup in 2033 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, followed by games alternating between Morgantown and Pittsburgh through 2036.
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Sept. 10, 2033 – at Pitt
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Sept. 9, 2034 – at West Virginia
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Sept. 8, 2035 – at Pitt
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Sept. 13, 2036 – at West Virginia
Backyard Brawl → 𝙀𝙓𝙏𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙀𝘿.
West Virginia and Pitt have agreed to extend their series from 2029-32 for four more games, starting in 2033.
🔗 https://t.co/rkyVupz6E1 pic.twitter.com/imbb8zH0w4
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) September 12, 2025
WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez, no stranger to the rivalry’s intensity, called the extension a major victory for the program and its fans.
“I think it’s one of the greatest rivalries in sports,” Rodriguez said. “Obviously, the location between the two are close. There’s a lot of intensity with it, and there never seems to be any love lost between the fanbases. It’s always, to me, the biggest game on your schedule when you’re at West Virginia.”
The Backyard Brawl first kicked off in 1895, making it one of the oldest rivalries in college football. The teams played continuously for 104 years before conference realignment halted the series in 2011, when WVU capped that stretch with a dramatic 21–20 victory in Morgantown.
The rivalry was revived in 2022 and is currently under contract through 2032. With the new deal, the series will remain uninterrupted through at least 2036.
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Overall Record: Pitt leads 63-41-3.
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Big East Era (1991–2011): WVU won 14 of 21 meetings.
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Recent History: Since 1965, WVU holds a slim 26-22-2 advantage.
The announcement comes at a time when traditional rivalries are under threat from conference realignment and shifting schedules across college football. By locking in the Backyard Brawl through 2036, both schools have secured a tradition that resonates far beyond Morgantown and Pittsburgh.
For fans, the game represents more than just a football clash — it’s a cultural event that embodies state pride, regional bragging rights, and a century of unforgettable moments.
When West Virginia and Pitt square off this Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, it will mark the 108th meeting in series history. And now, with the latest contract extension, the Brawl is guaranteed to keep burning into the mid-2030s.
As Rodriguez put it best, “It’s always the biggest game on your schedule.”
