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2012 bowl projections: Will there be a Backyard Brawl in New York?

Both West Virginia and Pitt are bowl eligible. SB Nation predicts where the two programs will play in the postseason.

Jared Wickerham

The West Virginia Mountaineers and Pittsburgh Panthers football programs each finished their regular seasons Saturday, and now they wait for a bowl invitation.

The Mountaineers (7-5) capped their season with a blowout victory of the Kansas Jayhawks, 59-10. West Virginia is now predicted by SB Naton's Jason Kirk to play in the Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 29 at Yankee Stadium, against former long-time Big East Conference rival, the Syracuse Orange.

[Complete bowl predictions here]

Meanwhile, Kirk is predicting Pitt (6-6) will be invited to play in the BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 5, in Birmingham, Ala. The Panthers' opponent is projected to be the Mississippi Rebels.

If this happens, it will be the third straight year Pitt will play in the BBVA Compass Bowl. In 2010, the Panthers defeated the Kentucky Wildcats, 27-10, while in '11 they lost to the SMU Mustangs, 28-6.

Now, there's a possibility both West Virginia and Pitt will play each other in the Pinstripe Bowl. Bowl officials say a Backyard Brawl showdown would sellout Yankee Stadium.

Photographs by dizfunk used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.