No. 17 Pitt and West Virginia will have a long-awaited reunion to start the 2022 college football season on Thursday — but don't expect it to be a happy meeting.
The 2022 version of the Backyard Brawl is the teams' first matchup since 2011, in which the Mountaineers won a third consecutive game over the rival Panthers. But none of those wins likely makes up for the 2007 loss in Morgantown, W.Va., in which a pitiably bad Pitt team shocked the No. 2 Mountaineers 13-9, keeping them from the BCS title game against Ohio State.
The Panthers are the ranked team in this matchup, coming off a season in which quarterback Kenny Pickett and receiver Jordan Addison led Pitt to an 11-3 record and ACC championship. Both are gone now — Pickett to the NFL's Steelers and Addison to USC.
Speaking of the Trojans, Thursday's game will feature a pair of USC quarterback transfers: Kedon Slovis, who was named Pitt's starter on Aug. 24; and JT Daniels, who shortly thereafter was named West Virginia's starter after he transferred from Georgia.
MORE: Watch Pitt vs. West Virginia live with fuboTV (free trial)
So: There are plenty of storylines in this Week 1 game, which has the primetime stage on Thursday.
The Sporting News has everything you need to tune in and watch the long-awaited reunion between Pitt and West Virginia:
What channel is Pitt vs. West Virginia on today?
- TV channel (national): ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN App, ESPN+, fuboTV
The Backyard Brawl will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Former Pitt safety Louis Riddick, along with Matt Barrie and Harry Lyles Jr., will announce the game. Cord-cutters can stream the action on ESPN+ or fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Pitt vs. West Virginia start time
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 1
- Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Pitt vs. West Virginia will kick off at 7 p.m. ET from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
MORE: Picks, predictions against the spread for Week 1 top 25 games
Pitt schedule 2022
| Opponent | Date | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| vs. West Virginia | Sept. 1 (Thursday) | TBD |
| vs. Tennessee | Sept. 10 | TBD |
| at Western Michigan | Sept. 17 | TBD |
| vs. Rhode Island | Sept. 24 | TBD |
| vs. Georgia Tech* | Oct. 1 | TBD |
| at Virginia Tech* | Oct. 8 | TBD |
| Bye | Oct. 15 | N/A |
| at Louisville* | Oct. 22 | TBD |
| at North Carolina* | Oct. 29 | TBD |
| vs. Syracuse* | Nov. 5 | TBD |
| at Virginia* | Nov. 12 | TBD |
| vs. Duke* | Nov. 19 | TBD |
| at Miami* | Nov. 26 | TBD |
* ACC game
West Virginia schedule 2022
| Opponent | Date | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| at No. 17 Pitt | Sept. 1 (Thursday) | TBD |
| vs. Kansas* | Sept. 10 | TBD |
| vs. Towson | Sept. 17 | TBD |
| at Virginia Tech | Sept. 22 (Thursday) | TBD |
| at Texas* | Oct. 1 | TBD |
| Bye | Oct. 8 | N/A |
| vs. No. 10 Baylor* | Oct. 13 (Thursday) | TBD |
| at Texas Tech* | Oct. 22 | TBD |
| vs. TCU* | Oct. 29 | TBD |
| at Iowa State* | Nov. 5 | TBD |
| vs. No. 9 Oklahoma* | Nov. 12 | TBD |
| vs. Kansas State* | Nov. 19 | TBD |
| at No. 12 Oklahoma State* | Nov. 26 | TBD |
* Big 12 game