MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Multiple agencies will direct traffic and be assigned to crowd control operation for the Backyard Brawl in Morgantown this weekend. The participating agencies include the University Police Department, Morgantown Police Department, Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Virginia State Police.
On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Chief Sherry St. Clair provided the recommended ways for motorists to get into the stadium area of Morgantown. At the major intersections along each route, entering and exiting police officers will be highly visible at major intersections.
“We recommend taking the Star City exit coming in, and exit 7 on I-68 will bring you in via 705,” St. Clair said. “Those are the two main routes coming in and going out for the game.”
The game is a sellout, and a large contingent of Pitt fans are expected to make the trip to Milan Puskar Stadium. St. Clair expects the parking lots around the venue to be teeming with fans preparing for the game, responsibly—she hopes.
“We also want to make sure people are aware when they’re tailgating to do it responsibly,” St. Clair said. “Don’t drink too much, and be respectful to other fans—we want to make sure everyone has a good time, but we don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
UPD will also deploy the motorcycles that were added to their inventory in Oct. of 2024. The two-wheeled vehicles allow officers to navigate large crowds safely and with more speed than a conventional response in a congested area.
“We’ll have them out in the Blue Lot, and they’re really nice because we can get around the crowd easier if we have to get from place to place,” St. Clair said. “You’ll see those in the Blue Lot maneuvering around and the other lots around the stadium.”
Entering the game, fans will walk through metal detectors. There is no need to empty any pockets; if an alarm is triggered, then the fan could be asked to empty pockets and walk back through the device.
The 3:30 p.m. kickoff time allows fans more time to enjoy tailgate parties but also makes the mass exodus of fans at or around sunset.
“Make sure you have a sober driver to get you home,” St. Clair said. “Be very cautious because it will probably be dusk or getting dark when you’re leaving, so pay attention to the officers in the intersections.”
The police presence after the fans exit the game will shift to the downtown campus area, where St. Clair said they plan to be very visible. She encouraged students to exercise good judgment no matter the result of the game.
“We will have a lot of officers that will be very visible,” St. Clair said. “We’ve taken precautions to make sure all of our dumpsters and trash are picked up, and we want to emphasize no littering and no burning.”