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Rece Davis and Pat McAfee interact on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Backyard Brawl May Be College GameDay’s Boldest and Best Option for Week 3

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 9:25 AM ET

On paper, West Virginia vs. Pitt doesn't look like a big matchup to those who reside outside of region, but college football junkies understand how intense and important this game is for both teams, particularly for WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez.

Eighteen years ago, Pitt denied the Mountaineers of a spot in the national championship game, pulling off the upset as 28-point underdogs. To this day, it's a game that haunts Mountaineer Nation and one that Rodriguez himself still can't completely burn from his memory bank.

“It was the worst night of my professional career, by far. Nothing comes close to it," Rodriguez stated. "And I know we had a couple guys hurt. Pat (White) got hurt, and some other guys got hurt, but I was too conservative in our play-calling. Our defense was playing great. Our offense, we were stumbling around a little bit, so I thought we just got to keep it close to the vest and not blow it. It was just way too conservative of an attack. I think we had a great team. I think we could have won it all."

The Backyard Brawl won't be his first home game since returning to WVU, but it will be the first Power Four opponent he will face, and it just so happens to take place on 9/13, you know, the reverse of the final score from that stunning night in 2007.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Kirk Herbstreit, a longtime member of ESPN's College GameDay show, admitted that he would love for the show to go to Morgantown for the Brawl.

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT JESUS IN CLEATS

WEST VIRGINIA GOT SIRPAUL CHEEKS#ProgrumSummerRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/iMRTq6YJAC
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 16, 2025

“It’s a new era in Morgantown, and I am officially on the bandwagon. Because Rich Rod, to me, I’m all in on Rich Rod," he said on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday afternoon. "I love the way he says things, the way he talks, like, we’re not doing that. We’re going to go back to work and just going to grind. And these guys probably don’t know what him them. They’re coming.”

What are the chances GameDay makes its first appearance in Morgantown since 2014? Here's a list of some of the other Power Four games on the docket for that weekend in college football.

- Arkansas at Ole Miss
- Vanderbilt at South Carolina
- Wisconsin at Alabama
- Oregon at Northwestern
- Clemson at Georgia Tech
- Georgia at Tennessee
- USC at Purdue
- Oregon State at Texas Tech
- Florida at LSU
- Texas A&M at Notre Dame
- Minnesota at Cal
- Boston College at Stanford

Games that don't have a chance

- Vanderbilt at South Carolina
- Oregon at Northwestern
- Clemson at Georgia Tech
- USC at Purdue
- Oregon State at Texas Tech
- Minnesota at Cal
- Boston College at Stanford

Games that will likely be considered (along with the Brawl)

- Arkansas at Ole Miss
- Wisconsin at Alabama
- Georgia at Tennessee
- Florida at LSU
- Texas A&M at Notre Dame

Making the case for the Brawl

Arkansas at Ole Miss may be an intriguing early-season SEC matchup, but that's all it is. I'd be shocked if they went there, but it's the SEC, so we have to consider it being an option.

Wisconsin-Alabama, from a brand perspective, makes sense, but GameDay will have a million opportunities to go to Tuscaloosa, and no offense to the Badgers, but it's not really a top-tier Big Ten team they're hosting.

Georgia-Tennessee and Florida-LSU are obviously going to be considered because it's the SEC. However, Georgia may be involved in GameDay the following week when they head to Alabama, and I'm not sure a Florida-LSU matchup is more intriguing than the Backyard Brawl, although WVU and Pitt may not be on the same level as those two teams.

If GameDay is truly looking for the best atmosphere, they'll head to Morgantown. It'll also be an opportunity for Pat McAfee to bring his show back on the eve of GameDay, which turned out to be a massive hit a year ago for Penn State.