Pat Narduzzi: Pitt would 'love to play Penn State if they would play us'

Pitt and West Virginia recently renewed the Backyard Brawl as the two teams played each of the past two years and will also face off in 2024 and 2025. Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi revealed Tuesday at the ACC Kickoff event that if he had his way, Pitt would renew its rivalry with Penn State, too.

Narduzzi was asked about rivalries and shared that he hates that the Panthers don’t play the Nittany Lions regularly.

“Pittsburgh, we embrace rivalries, OK. We’d love to play Penn State if they would play us,” Pat Narduzzi said. “If they won’t play us we’d love to play West Virginia as many times as we can play them.”

Pitt and Penn State have played only four times since 2000 and are not scheduled to play again any time soon.

However, Pitt and West Virginia are scheduled to play six of the next nine seasons. The Panthers beat WVU 38-31 at home in 2022, before falling to the Mountaineers 17-6 last season. While last year’s loss was disappointing, Pat Narduzzi believes it could be good for his program in the long run.

“It’s great to have that rivalry back. Two years ago we got them at home. They got us last year. And they’re coming back to Pittsburgh. Our kids couldn’t be more excited,” Pat Narduzzi said. “I think they’ve got an idea after two years of what a real rivalry game is. I think you need to lose a rivalry game to understand what it means to you.

“I think you have to lose one to know, ‘OK, I don’t ever want to lose a rivalry game again.’ I think that’s kind of what we go into this game with in ‘24.”

Narduzzi is entering his 10th season as the head coach at Pitt. He has a 65-60 (43-31) record during his time leading the program. Last year was disappointing as the Panthers finished 3-9 (2-6), but his program won 20 games the two years before that.

Pitt also won the 2021 ACC Championship and is the only team outside of Florida State and Clemson to win the ACC since Virginia Tech won the ACC in 2010.

The Panthers open the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31 against Kent State. They will then play at Cincinnati on Sept. 7, before hosting West Virginia in the rivalry game on Sept. 14. Kickoff time for that matchup is set for 3:30 p.m.