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No Backyard Brawl in the Top 25 College Football Rivalries is Pure Absurdity
West Virginia Mountaineers Kole Taylor (87) leaps around Pittsburgh Panthers Donovan McMillon (3) for a touchdown during the first half at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV on September 16, 2023. Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Scott Dochterman of The Athletic recently ranked what he believes as the best 25 rivalries in college football, and surprisingly, the Backyard Brawl was omitted.

West Virginia and Pitt have met 107 times on the gridiron, dating back to 1895. The hatred between the two is real, and if you've never experienced it, there's a good chance you wouldn't know how much these two can't stand each other.

One of the biggest reasons the Backyard Brawl is likely left off the list is because of the lack of marquee matchups. There have been just eleven matchups between the two where they were both ranked.

From 1985-2001, Pitt was ranked in just five of those seasons, including a near decade-long absence from the top 25 poll, stretching from 1992-2001. Since the start of the 1970s until the final game in 2012 as Big East foes, WVU had only 13 seasons of not being ranked. So, for the most part, WVU held up their end of the bargain. Pitt, on the other hand, did not.

Despite the lack of ranked matchups, this is unquestionably one of the most heated rivalries in college sports. I mean, one of the biggest upsets in recent memory happened in this game, knocking WVU out of a national championship game. Just a couple of years later, WVU got revenge by nailing a game-winning field goal at the buzzer to keep the Panthers from going to a BCS bowl. Those are just two of several thrilling moments in this rivalry.

Let's be real here...Kansas and Missouri over the Brawl? Harvard/Yale? Iowa/Wisconsin? Texas/Texas A&M? Auburn/Georgia? I completely disagree.

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This article first appeared on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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