MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker issued a statement Monday acknowledging that officials mishandled the enforcement of a late-hit unsportsmanlike penalty against Pittsburgh at the end of the first half in Saturday’s Backyard Brawl.
The controversial call left Mountaineer fans outraged, as the penalty appeared to have no impact on field position or game flow. Now, Baker has confirmed that frustration was justified.
Statement from @wrenbaker regarding last Saturday's incorrect, end-of-half penalty enforcement against Pitt. pic.twitter.com/2mAG15BVyK
— WVU Sports (@WVUSports) September 18, 2025
Baker revealed that officials misapplied the rules and that WVU has since been informed the enforcement was incorrect.
“At the end of the first half of the football game with Pitt, an unsportsmanlike penalty (late hit) was called against the Panthers. It has been confirmed to our staff that the rules relating to the interpretation and application of that penalty were incorrect,” Baker said in his statement.
Baker stressed that while protecting athletes is always the top priority, fouls like the one committed in the Backyard Brawl must carry consequences.
“In an effort to preserve player safety, players cannot and should not be able to commit unsportsmanlike penalties with no consequences. Player safety should always be at the forefront of our minds.”
According to Baker, NCAA officials have now been given additional guidance to ensure similar mistakes are not repeated.
“It is my understanding that all NCAA football officials were sent information this week on how the penalty should have been enforced,” Baker added.
The call — or lack of enforcement — came at a pivotal moment in one of college football’s fiercest rivalries, leaving WVU fans furious as they headed into halftime. While Baker’s acknowledgment doesn’t change the outcome, it does bring clarity that the officiating crew failed to apply the rules properly.
For now, West Virginia fans can take some solace in knowing the error has been addressed at the national level, though it won’t erase the sting of the moment during Saturday’s Backyard Brawl.
