MORGANTOWN - The 102nd edition of the Backyard Brawl will take place tonight in Morgantown after two weeks of hype from both sides. Though the winner will be decided by the final score some three hours later, Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt and West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said that score will have been determined much earlier in the week.

While Wannstedt said preparations done in practice will go a long way in determining the final outcome, Stewart said the game will come down to who can execute fundamental football the finest.

"I learned a long time ago that in a big game that fundamentals are the key," Stewart said. "Both coaches are old school, so trick plays will not win this football game."

The rivalry has taken on such an intensity over the past century because coaches from both teams are recruiting at the same schools, the same towns and the same players. Some choose WVU, while their friends and relatives may choose Pitt. It keeps the rivalry alive during those down times when the players do have a chance to renew old friendships.

"It's almost like playing against your brother," Stewart said. "You want to whip him and whip him bad."

Mountaineer offensive lineman Don Barclay grew up in Pittsburgh and has several friends on the Panthers' roster. He was recruited by Pitt, but chose instead to attend West Virginia.

"If we lose," he said, "when I go home, I'll hear stuff about it. Everyone is saying you could have been a part of (Pitt's 9-1 season). But I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. I feel like it's home here."

Pitt, which is 5-0 in the Big East Conference going into its rivalry game with West Virginia before a conference showdown with unbeaten Cincinnati, is ranked ninth in the country.

Freshman running back Dion Lewis leads a highly touted running attack, while quarterback Bill Stull has led a revitalized passing attack.

"They're going to come right at you and say, 'Stop us,"' said WVU defensive back Nate Sowers. "If you can't, they are going to do that all night."

The Pitt defense also leads the nation in sacking the quarterback, thanks to a strong front four.

"They are not hiding anything," Barclay said. "We have to take them out of their game."

Pitt has won the previous two meetings, even spoiling a chance for West Virginia to appear in the 2007 national championship game. Linebacker J.T. Thomas would like nothing more than to start to even things up.

"I haven't had a chance to say that I contributed to a win against Pitt," he said.

The key for the 7-3 Mountaineers may be in the resurgence of quarterback Jarrett Brown, who returned to his early season form in a heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati two weeks ago. It was his best performance since suffering a concussion in the win over Marshall in October.

"Jarrett Brown is right out of the same mold as (former WVU quarterback) Pat White," Wannstedt said. "He can make plays on his feet, and he has a strong arm to make all of the throws. He has done a great job of taking control of that offense."

Kickoff is set 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2,