clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

West Virginia fans remix Pitt's Sweet Caroline

The Pitt-WVU rivalry is still strong.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

In early June I wrote a post calling for Pitt and West Virginia to renew their historic rivalry.

There are many reasons why this rivalry should be renewed in both football and basketball, but perhaps the greatest reason of all is that the fans of both universities still hate each other.

College Gameday was in West Virginia for a November 1 game between West Virginia and TCU. A game in which West Virginia fans would leave unsatisfied in thanks to a last-second, game-winning field goal by kicker Jaden Oberkrom for the Horned Frogs.

During a commercial break, the chorus for Sweet Caroline was played specifically so the students in the backdrop of the College Gameday set could give their own charming rendition of the song in a way that only they can:

The always classy fans of West Virginia were able to make the crew of College Gameday chuckle.

Regardless of the song shenanigans, I think this shows more that this is a rivalry that is still alive and needs to be brought back.

Yes, I know there are obstacles with scheduling and Pitt coaches/players being pelted with coins during a basketball game isn't helping matters. But not wanting to play West Virginia because of how their fans treated the players is the exact reason why the two teams should continue to play.

People always complain about the attendance at Pitt football games. Heinz Field will not ever be filled for a non-conference game against Akron. One way to fill it, though, is by scheduling non-conference opponents such as West Virginia. Finding room for the Mountaineers with a limited non-conference schedule isn't the easiest thing to do in football. But, at a minimum, there is no reason the two teams cannot face off on the basketball court.

Dana Holgorsen also talked previously about wanting to renew the Backyard Brawl again, even though it's pretty clear that Pitt doesn't have much interest in doing so. It's pretty clear, however, that fans of the schools still consider it a rivalry of sorts.