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Backyard Brawl is back for the first time since 2011 and did not disappoint.
After week zero, the college football season kicked off in earnest on Thursday night as the University of Pittsburgh beat West Virginia 38-31.
The Panthers took a 3–0 lead after forcing the Mountaineers to punt twice, but West Virginia’s CJ Donaldson struck out with a 44-yard carry. That drive ended with JT Daniels’ 6-yard touchdown pass to Sam James to give the Mountaineers a 7–3 lead.
The next four drives consisted of a total of 14 plays as Pitt and West Virginia traded punts and traded fumbles. However, the Panthers recovered the fumble in good field position and scored just 35 yards, closing out the drive with an impressive and strong run from Rodney Hammond Jr. to give Pittsburgh a 10–7 lead.
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West Virginia then responded with a 13-play, 74-yard drive in the final 3:23 that ended with a field goal, bringing the game to a tie at 10 at halftime. placer.
Halfway through, the Panthers were three-and-out, then a blocked fumble sent them back to their own 5-yard line. Donaldson had a 5-yard score to give the Mountaineers a 17–10 lead.
Both teams stalled on their next drive, but when Pittsburgh got the ball back, Jared Wayne made an impressive 64-yard catch-and-run. We entered the end zone and tied the game at 17.
After Pitt forced a three-and-out, Rodney Hammond took matters into his own hands as he was in charge of the entire Three Plaid Drive. He had 2 yards rushing, a 49-yard catch-and-run, and a powerful 11-yard rushing touchdown to give Pitt a 24–17 lead.
But at the end of the third quarter, the Mountaineers put together a decent drive mixed with some bad pit penalties. We started the fourth quarter with a back shoulder fade.
West Virginia and Pitt kick off week 1 of college football season with backyard brawl rivalry game
Tied at 24, Pitt punted and West Virginia responded with another excellent drive. Donaldson started with his 39-yard carry, three plays later Tony Mathis Jr. took another 23 yards.
Pitt marched into Mountaineers territory at 31-24 and from 24 Slovis dumped a pass to Israel Avanikanda and several men missed and flew into the end zone to make the game 31-31 at 3:41. became. go.
After Donaldson ran for 14 yards on the first play of West Virginia’s drive, Daniels found a wide-open Ford Wheaton past midfield, but it slipped through his hands into MJ Devonshire’s hands, where he ended up in the hands of MJ Devonshire. He took it home and took a pick 6 and a 38-31 pit lead.
Seven down in less than three minutes, the Mountaineers again took advantage of the Panthers’ penalty and quickly got within 25 of the pits. Initially ruled a catch just short of the goal line, reviews showed Smith lost possession on a dive and the Panthers won 38–31.
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It was the Backyard Brawl’s 105th play and Pitt’s first win over the Mountaineers since 2008.
Slovis had 308 yards and 1 point on 16 of 24 passes, and Jared Wayne’s 89 receiving yards was a team-high. Konata Mampfield added five catches for 71 yards, and Hammond tallied 74 yards on 16 carries, two of them scoring.
Donaldson had 125 yards on seven carries and one touchdown for the Mountaineers, while Ford-Wheaton had nine catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.