MORGANTOWN - In some circles, much has been made of West Virginia having a chance to do to Pitt this week what the Panthers did to the Mountaineers two years ago - ruin their season.

The analogy, though, just doesn't work.

Two years ago, everything West Virginia hoped for - a chance to play for a national championship - rode on the outcome of its game with Pitt. When the Panthers won 13-9, it was an upset felt across the country.

This year the Panthers come into the game at 9-1 and ranked No. 8. West Virginia is unranked. Sure, a win over Pitt would be disappointing to the Panthers, but regardless of the outcome Pitt still will play Cincinnati a week from Saturday for the Big East championship and the league's automatic BCS bowl berth.

The situations aren't at all similar.

That having been said, there is still plenty of reason for West Virginia to play this Backyard Brawl as hard as any of the previous 101.

"It's still a prime-time game,'' Brown said, alluding not so much to Friday's 7 p.m. start but to the rivalry itself. "We'll still go out there and play for pride, play for a bowl. We're still going to show everybody that we have heart.''

As for Pitt, might the Panthers be looking past West Virginia to Cincinnati, a team that narrowly escaped with a 24-21 win over WVU less than two weeks ago?

"If they watched our game [at Cincinnati] I don't think they will,'' Brown said. "We should have won that one.''

Pitt's offense is not fancy.

Yes, the Panthers throw the football, but their primary focus is on running the ball, usually between the tackles.

MORGANTOWN - In some circles, much has been made of West Virginia having a chance to do to Pitt this week what the Panthers did to the Mountaineers two years ago - ruin their season.

The analogy, though, just doesn't work.

Two years ago, everything West Virginia hoped for - a chance to play for a national championship - rode on the outcome of its game with Pitt. When the Panthers won 13-9, it was an upset felt across the country.

This year the Panthers come into the game at 9-1 and ranked No. 8. West Virginia is unranked. Sure, a win over Pitt would be disappointing to the Panthers, but regardless of the outcome Pitt still will play Cincinnati a week from Saturday for the Big East championship and the league's automatic BCS bowl berth.

The situations aren't at all similar.

That having been said, there is still plenty of reason for West Virginia to play this Backyard Brawl as hard as any of the previous 101.

"It's still a prime-time game,'' Brown said, alluding not so much to Friday's 7 p.m. start but to the rivalry itself. "We'll still go out there and play for pride, play for a bowl. We're still going to show everybody that we have heart.''

As for Pitt, might the Panthers be looking past West Virginia to Cincinnati, a team that narrowly escaped with a 24-21 win over WVU less than two weeks ago?

"If they watched our game [at Cincinnati] I don't think they will,'' Brown said. "We should have won that one.''

Pitt's offense is not fancy.

Yes, the Panthers throw the football, but their primary focus is on running the ball, usually between the tackles.

"They don't run a lot of plays,'' WVU linebacker Reed Williams said. "But the basics of what they do, they do them really well. They've got a lot of pro talent.

 "It's the kind of game linebackers should love to play. It's not going to be fancy. They're not going to run outside. They're going to line up and you know what's coming. If you can stop it you're going to be the one that wins the game.''

Safety Sidney Glover said it looks to him as if Pitt simply plays basic football as well as anyone.

"I think it's their style. You can tell they're all playing hard and they're all buying into the plan,'' Glover said. "Even their receivers are making blocks. And you can tell a lot about a team with a running game when you see receivers out there trying to get blocks and do what they do.''

Twenty-three seniors will play their final game at Mountaineer Field Friday night. For anyone willing to look ahead, the graduation losses West Virginia will face at the end of the season are not quite as significant as a 23-member senior class might indicate.

Of those 23, only five are full-time starters, plus punter Scott Kozlowski. The only all-the-time senior starters on offense are Brown, wide receiver Alric Arnett and tackle Selvish Capers. On defense there are Williams and safety Nate Sowers.

Receiver Wes Lyons starts occasionally and safety Boogie Allen has split time with Sowers and Glover, a junior. Also on defense, Zac Cooper, Ovid Goulbourne and Kent Richardson have been mainstays in special packages, usually on passing downs.

The rest of the seniors play primarily on special teams or not at all. On offense there is fullback Max Anderson; receivers Carmen Connolly, Jack Crow and former swimmer Payton Brooks; tight end Scott Loving, running back Michael Poitier and lineman Jon Walko. On defense the others are backs Guesly Dervil and Anthony Wood and linebacker Zach Flynt. Kicker Josh Lider and punter Trevor Mathews are also seniors.

Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.