 Penn State leads the series 48–9–2 through the 2017 season.In terms of competitiveness, intensity and longevity, the Backyard Brawl with the Pittsburgh Panthers is West Virginia's most fierce and storied rivalry.Separated by only 70 miles, the two universities have competed on a mostly annual basis since 1895 (beginning in 1920 and resuming again in 1943 after World War II).