While college football's official rivalry week doesn't kick off until Week 13 of the season, some fans will get an early taste of the intense competition. Few rivalry games are bigger, or more historic than the annual Backyard Brawl between the West Virginia Mountaineers and Pittsburgh Panthers.
Here's everything you need to know about one of the most-anticipated college football rivalry games in 2022, the Backyard Brawl.
Backyard Brawl 2022 Kickoff Time
The Backyard Brawl is one of the first games on the college football calendar (following a taste of Week 0 action). The contest is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
Where is Backyard Brawl 2022?
The 2022 West Virginia vs No. 17 Pittsburgh Backyard Brawl showdown will be played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. This marks the opening games on both West Virginia and Pittsburgh's 2022 calendars.
How to Watch Backyard Brawl 2022
The TV broadcast of Backyard Brawl 2022 will be available nation-wide on ESPN. Fans can also tune into the Watch ESPN app for live streaming of the event.
Backyard Brawl Prediction and Betting Lines
Pittsburgh enters this matchup as a solid 7.5-point favorite over the Mountaineers, according to NCAAF Odds on FanDu el Sportsbook. Pittsburgh holds +100 odds to cover this spread, while West Virginia has -122 odds as a 7.5-point underdog. The Mountaineers are +235 on the moneyline compared to Pittsburgh's -295 moneyline odds and an over/under has been set at 51.5 points, with -110 odds on both the over and under.
2022 Backyard Brawl predictions from'numberFire's projection model'give Pittsburgh a 83.4% chance of winning the game. That leaves West Virginia with a 16.6% chance of pulling off an upset.
Backyard Brawl West Virginia vs Pitt History
It's been 11 years since West Virginia and Pittsburgh met in the Backyard Brawl. The last meeting occurred on Nov. 25, 2011 where the Mountaineers stole a 21-20 home victory from Pitt.
Of 104 previous all-time meetings, Pittsburgh holds a big edge going 61-40-3. The Panthers will look to stop a three-game losing streak in the series. Their last victory over West Virginia came back in 2008.