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The Backyard Brawl could be taking a breather.
The 116-year-old series between Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and a few other rivalries in the Big East, may have less significant roles as conference realignment takes hold over the next few years.
Pittsburgh and Syracuse are expected to leave for the Atlantic Coast Conference after the 2013 season. West Virginia is off to the Big 12 at an undetermined date.
With nonconference matchups often scheduled years in advance, that puts a question mark on the immediate prospects of games such as the Backyard Brawl and the River City Rivalry between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
While the athletic directors of West Virginia and Pittsburgh have indicated they'd like to keep their game going, there's a walk-down-memory-lane feel to this year's Brawl, which takes place Friday night in Morgantown.
Just don't ask West Virginia (7-3, 3-2 Big East) and Pittsburgh (5-5, 3-2) to hold hands.
''It's obviously the biggest game on our schedule,'' said West Virginia defensive end Will Clarke, a Pittsburgh native. ''It has a lot of history to it. Being from Pittsburgh, getting to play against my hometown team is always great, too.''
With only 70 miles of Interstate 79 separating them, no other series in either school's history has sparked such disdain, cursing and cover-your-kids'-eyes T-shirts.
There have been some memorable finishes.
In 2007, then-No. 2 West Virginia needed a win to secure a spot in the national championship game, but the Panthers smothered the Mountaineers' vaunted rushing attack and won 13-9 in Morgantown.
In 2004, Tyler Palko's short touchdown run with 4 minutes left gave Pittsburgh a 16-13 upset over then-No. 21 West Virginia.
In 1975, walk-on kicker Bill McKenzie's field goal in the closing seconds gave West Virginia a 17-14 win over a Pitt team led by Tony Dorsett.
In 1970, West Virginia led comfortably 35-8 at halftime, but Pitt scored four touchdowns after switching to a Power-I offense to win 36-35. Angered West Virginia fans beat on the dressing room door afterward trying to get at first-year coach Bobby Bowden.
West Virginia saw significant rivalries end when Penn State moved from independent status to the Big Ten and Miami and Virginia Tech left the Big East for the ACC.
West Virginia also could lose its series with Syracuse that has been played every year since 1955. The teams have squared off for the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy. Schwartzwalder was born in West Virginia, played center for the Mountaineers, and remains the winningest coach in Syracuse history.
Syracuse has beaten the Mountaineers the past two seasons and owns a 32-27 edge.
But it's Pitt-West Virginia that gets fans and players at both schools focused and riled up.
''The tradition behind this game and all that it stands for, not even counting what can happen if you win the game, it's tremendous,'' said Pitt running back Zach Brown.
The Backyard Brawl may not get as much recognition nationally as games such as Auburn-Alabama, Michigan-Ohio State and Texas-Oklahoma.
It's just as important in these parts.
''I've always watched this game,'' said Pittsburgh coach Todd Graham, a Dallas-area native who spent a few years as a West Virginia assistant before head coaching stints at Rice and Tulsa. ''You look at the great rivalries around the country; you've got to put this right up there in the top group.''
Graham and West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen would like the series to continue, even though they know the decision is out of their hands.
''If they can get it to where they can work it out and it fits in the schedule, I think it would be fantastic,'' Holgorsen said.
Pittsburgh also has had a healthy but brief rivalry with Cincinnati, which joined the Big East in 2005. The winner gets the Paddlewheel Trophy.
In Cincinnati's Big East title seasons in 2008 and 2009, wins over Pittsburgh were deciding factors in the league race.
''At some point we'd like to continue that rivalry, but scheduling is such a great challenge now,'' said Cincinnati coach Butch Jones. ''Obviously that rivalry is something special to us and our football program.''
As old rivalries fade, others will be born or renewed.
The Big East for weeks has been courting Boise State, Air Force and Navy as football-only members, and Conference USA schools SMU, Houston and Central Florida to join in all sports. UCF would join neighbor South Florida in the reconfigured league.
''There's some great history between the schools when you start talking about West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse,'' said South Florida coach Skip Holtz. ''I am sorry to see that go. But new rivalries will be developed and I look forward to seeing that happen with the Big East and where we're going to go from here.''
