Last year, Pitt fans at Heinz Field held up signs with the score "13-9" signifying the Panthers’ upset over West Virginia in 2007.
Some of those signs returned to the 102nd Backyard Brawl Friday at Milan Puskar Stadium.
After the Mountaineers’ 19-16 upset victory over the No. 8 Panthers, it might be time for West Virginia faithful to make signs of their own.
WVU senior linebacker Reed Williams, who was on the team for the Mountaineers’ two BCS bowl victories, called this win just as good as those two games.
"It’s up there," Williams said. "I’m in the moment right now, but it’s Senior Night, a top 10 Pitt Panther team."
Fellow senior Nate Sowers agreed.
"To win is just instant happiness," Sowers said. "To beat them after they got us the last two years is just great. To get a win over Pitt on Senior Night here at Mountaineer Field is just great. I can’t think of a better ending."
The win was the first over Pitt in two meetings, stopping a streak that could’ve been the longest for the Panthers since they won seven straight games in the series from 1976-82.
"When you win a game like this, you just have to stop and smell the roses," Sowers said. "You have to soak it in. You probably won’t get another moment like this. I will never forget the locker room after the game, and I will never forget the feeling I have right now."
Heading into the game, Pitt was No. 9 in the BCS standings and was in prime position to play in a BCS bowl, either as the Big East Conference Champion or an at-large team if things went the Panthers’ way.
Instead, it went all West Virginia’s way Friday.
With the win, the Mountaineers secured a perfect home season for the first time since 1993.
"That’s a pretty good accomplishment," Stewart said. "A lot of them aren’t signature wins, but they’re wins. I hope, and I know, because I’m a West Virginian, that our ticket holders are proud of that."
With the loss, the Panthers dropped to No. 15 in the BCS standings. The Panthers still have a shot to play in a BCS bowl if they can defeat No. 5 Cincinnati at home Saturday.
A loss, though, could drop Pitt to third in the Big East and into in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
"We’ll turn the page on this one in a hurry and get ready for Cincinnati," said Pitt head coach Dave Wannsdedt. "Our goal at the beginning of the season was to win the Big East Championship, and we can accomplish that next week."
West Virginia helped its postseason situation with the upset over Pitt. If the Panthers lose to Cincinnati, it is likely the Mountaineers will play in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. Gator Bowl officials were in attendance Friday at the Backyard Brawl.
Stewart is less worried about bowl destinations, though.
"It’s the same thing I said last season – let us get through Game 12 before we worry about Game 13," he said. "It would be so much easier on keeping these young men focused. I’m going to have to rely on our seniors to keep this bunch focused. We are playing Rutgers before we play in any bowl."
Road wins haven’t come easy this year, however, as West Virginia is 1-3 on the road this season. The only win came Oct. 10 at lowly Syracuse. In Stewart’s nearly two-year stint as WVU head coach, the Mountaineers are 3-6 on the road.
"Rutgers has not lost too many at home," Stewart said. "This is going to be a tough opponent."
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