Narduzzi: ‘A Lot of Hate’ Between Pitt and West Virginia

Pat Narduzzi pulled no punches at ACC Media Days when he talked about the real rivalry between Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

He made clear that the animosity runs deep.

“There is a lot of hate in this rivalry,” Narduzzi said. “I have been around a lot of rivalries, but the hate that West Virginia has for Pitt, the disrespect, to me, that makes a rivalry. Sometimes it is not clean. I know there are a lot of Pitt fans who do not want to travel down to Morgantown because of that. But it is right up there at the top.”

Narduzzi noted he learned what true rivalry feels like during eight years with Michigan State. Now, he wants that intensity to define his time at Pitt. He argued that games against West Virginia and Penn State ought to be annual fixtures.

“We should be playing West Virginia and Penn State every single year,” Narduzzi continued. “I will go on record as saying I am ready to go right now. Let us line it up, especially these two extra years we have here, where we are not playing anybody. It is a big-time rivalry for sure. Our players look forward to playing West Virginia every year.”

That playoff scheduling flexibility follows conference realignment, creating open non‑conference slots through 2026. Narduzzi wants to use that to maintain the Backyard Brawl and expand regional rivalries.

His message was simple: Rivalry games matter. Whether it is displacing a weaker non‑conference opponent or reviving fan energy, Narduzzi sees a cultural and competitive boost. For him, baseball-style letters of intent or TV deals mean little compared to hate‑fueled, furnace‑hot rivalry environments.

He closed on this note: “That is what the game is all about, those regional rivalries. Fans love it. Our players love it. It is intense. There is no love lost. That is what it is all about. That is college football.”

The Backyard Brawl returns this fall for the fourth year in a row, and Narduzzi wants more. If Pitt and WVU can find common ground, THAT might be the real story to watch in the coming seasons.