Pitt vs. West Virginia live score, updates, highlights from Backyard Brawl

The first big game of the Week 1 slate is here: the Backyard Brawl between No. 17 Pitt and West Virginia.

Thursday’s meeting is a reunion between the Panthers and Mountaineers. The teams haven’t met since 2011, an 11-year hiatus for one of college football’s most underrated rivalries.

Though it wasn’t the last game in this series, the 2007 game — one that saw a 4-7 Pitt team upend No. 2 West Virginia 13-9, keeping the Mountaineers from the BCS national championship game — will be mentioned throughout on Thursday. The 2022 season marks the 15-year anniversary of that game, and Mountaineers understandably are still sore that their biggest rival cost them a chance at the title.

MORE: The night the most epic Backyard Brawl altered college football history

That is the main storyline heading into this game, but it’s also worth watching the battle of former USC teammates: West Virginia’s JT Daniels (by way of Georgia) and Pitt’s Kedon Slovis.

The Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights throughout the 2022 Backyard Brawl. Follow below for complete coverage:

MORE: Watch Pitt vs. West Virginia live with fuboTV (free trial)

Pitt vs. West Virginia score

Pitt vs. West Virginia live updates, highlights

All times Eastern

Second quarter: West Virginia 7, Pitt 3

8:10 p.m.: Dead-ball personal fouls for each team on the Mountaineers’ next drive. And the call against Pitt, for taunting, bails out WVU big time. The Mountaineers were looking at a third down from their 1. They wind up punting three plays later.

8:05 p.m.: Pitt twice avoids disaster on the ensuing drive before punting. Slovis was almost intercepted but the defender came down out of bounds, and then the Panthers fumbled on a run play but recovered.

7:50 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, West Virginia. The Mountaineers get on the board after a six-play, 75-yard drive. Daniels connects with Bryce Ford-Wheaton on a 10-yard scoring pass one play after a 44-yard run by CJ Donaldson on third-and-1 puts WVU into the red zone. West Virginia leads for the first time, 7-3, with 12:45 to play in the half.

First quarter: Pitt 3, West Virginia 0

7:42 p.m.: West Virginia is content to run out the clock after a 2-yard gain.

7:40 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, Pitt: The Panthers elect to take the “easy” points with a 42-yard field goal by Ben Sauls. He sends it right down the middle, giving Pitt a 3-0 lead with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.

7:39 p.m.: West Virginia defense bends but doesn’t break, forcing Slovis to pass short to avoid the pressure. He connects with Israel Abanikanda for a 5-yard gain to the WVU 29, bringing up fourth-and-3.

7:37 p.m.: Charles Woods for West Virginia is down on the field. Trainers are looking at his left ankle.

7:36 p.m.: Mountaineers finally slow down the Panthers drive with a 3-yard sack by safety Davis Mallinger. That makes it second-and-13 from the West Virginia 34.

7:35 p.m.: Slovis connects with Bub Means in the middle of the zone for another 15-yard gain to the WVU 31.

7:33 p.m.: Slovis then hits Konata Mumpfield on a comeback route for a 15-yard gain, followed by a 14-yard scramble out of the pocket to the West Virginia 47. Three plays, all first downs, have absolutely shifted the momentum toward the Panthers.

7:32 p.m.: Bold move by Pitt to drop back and go for the pass on third-and-9 from the 4. Slovis hits Jared Wayne in the zone for a 20-yard gain to the Pitt 24.

7:30 p.m.: Officials keep the ball at the 3, and now left tackle Carter Warren is called for false start. Backs the Panthers up even further.

7:26 p.m.: Officials are reviewing exactly where the WVU punt defense team touched the ball. For now the ball is placed at the 3.

7:24 p.m.: Silver lining: The Mountaineers down the ball inside the 1-yard line. That’s where Pitt will take over.

7:23 p.m.: Scratch that. WVU has its second procedural penalty of the game — illegal motion — making it fourth-and-9. Mountaineers punt team coming out to punt from the Pitt 44.

7:23 p.m.: Tunnel screen to James on third-and-9 goes for 5 yards, setting up fourth-and-4 from the Pitt 39. Looks like they’re going for it.

7:21 p.m.: Daniels takes a deep shot on to Ford-Wheaton; he has him and leads him well, but the receiver is tangled up with the defensive back, resulting in an incompletion.

7:17 p.m.: West Virginia brings the rush and gets to Slovis! Jared Bartlett is credited with the 10-yard sack. WVU is going to take over at the Pitt 45 after a 37-yard punt.

Jared Bartlett gets the sack on Kedon Slovis on 3rd down! #WVU pic.twitter.com/HAMjsTcUCb

— Follow @FTBeard7 (@FTBeard7) September 1, 2022

7:15 p.m.: Pitt starts with a 3-yard rush. Here we go.

7:11 p.m.: Pitt takes the fair catch at its 11, where Kedon Slovis and Co. will take over.

7:10 p.m.: A false start brings up third-and-16, backing WVU up to the Pitt 46 … Daniels again bobbles the snap, which was high. Running back C’Bo Flemister just dives on it bringing up fourth-and-18 after what looked like a promising drive.

7:09 p.m.: Daniels has his first incompletion of the game on a shallow crosser to James. WVU facing its first third down on third-and-11 from the Pitt 41.

7:08 p.m.: Daniels bobbles the snap, recovers the ball and throws a wobbler down the sideline to Bryce Ford-Wheaton for a 22-yard gain! Nice, heads-up play.

JT Daniels after losing the snap 😳 pic.twitter.com/qFbvCosWbR

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 1, 2022

7:08 p.m.: Daniels’ first pass of the year goes for 10 yards to Sam James. First down Mountaineers.

7:06 p.m.: And we’re off! West Virginia takes a fair catch, leaving JT Daniels and Co. to lead the first offensive drive.

What channel is Pitt vs. West Virginia on tonight?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN app, fuboTV

The Backyard Brawl will get the prime-time treatment on ESPN, starting at 7 p.m. ET.

MORE: Pitt vs. West Virginia odds, prediction, betting trends for CFP championship

What time does the Backyard Brawl start?

• Date: Thursday, Sept. 1
• Time: 7 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. PT

The Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 1.

MORE: Why the Backyard Brawl doesn’t happen more often

Pitt vs. West Virginia odds

Spread: Pitt -7.5
Over/under: 52
Moneyline: Pitt -320 | West Virginia +250

Pitt heads into the Backyard Brawl as a 7.5-point favorite over West Virginia, with an over/under of 52 points, per Caesars Sportsbook.

Pitt schedule 2022

* ACC game

West Virginia schedule 2022

* Big 12 Conference game

TSN’s Tom Gatto contributed to this report.