The Pitt Panthers and the West Virginia Mountaineers open the season tonight at Accrisure Stadium in the renewal of the Backyard Brawl. Pitt and West Virginia last played each other on November 25th, 2011, with the Mountaineers winning, 21-20. Pitt leads the series, with a record of 61-40-3.
There will be one person involved in the game who can look at it from both teams’ perspectives. He is new Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., whose father, Frank Sr., was once coach of West Virginia, whose brother played for Pitt, and who returns to the Panthers’ after serving as offensive coordinator for Dave Wannstedt in 2009 and 2010.
Cignetti says for the Panthers, the keys to this game will be the same keys for any game.
Cignetti knows this series inside and out.
Cignetti says the Backyard Brawl goes beyond a typical football rivalry.
Cignetti will call the plays from the coaches’ box high above the field rather than on the sidelines, as his predecessor Mark Whipple did.
You’ll hear the game tonight on WCCS, FM 101.1 and AM 1160, with the pregame beginning at 6 PM, and kickoff shortly after 7.
Penn State also opens its season tonight with a Big Ten matchup at Purdue
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