The potential end of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry has sent shockwaves through the college football world. This matchup, which has been played for 73 years with only breaks during World War II and COVID, is now at risk of being discontinued – and it seems the decision is coming from USC’s side.
As USC continues along its bi-coastal journey in the Big Ten, there are concerns that they’re following a dangerous path. Is there a parallel here to Nebraska, suggesting that going “all in” with the Big Ten was a factor in the downfall of their football program. They argue that USC should be able to compete in a major conference while still maintaining its traditional rivalries.
The history of the Notre Dame-USC rivalry is deeply rooted in college football lore. The roots of the rivalry are local for the Irish, who started getting on trains and going all over America to play in response to Michigan and other Big Ten schools refusing to play them. This led to Notre Dame’s tradition of playing anyone, anywhere – a characteristic that has defined the program for decades.
The decision might be influenced by USC head coach Lincoln Riley, who left Oklahoma when it joined the SEC. The implication here is that Riley might be looking to lighten USC’s schedule to avoid potential losses.
This decision is seen as particularly puzzling given USC’s status in college football. A program of USC’s caliber should be able to maintain such a significant rivalry while competing in a major conference. Also, could there be potential negative impact on USC’s entertainment value in the competitive Los Angeles market? This isn’t the mid-2000s when the Trojans were the only game in town. The Rams have a recent Super Bowl Championship and the Chargers have one of the more decorated head coaches in all of football in Jim Harbaugh and are on the way up it seems.
From Notre Dame’s perspective, the end of this rivalry would likely lead them to seek out other high-profile matchups. The Irish already play a challenging schedule, including games against SEC teams and a long-term agreement with Clemson. This flexibility in scheduling is seen as a strength of Notre Dame’s independent status.
This potential decision as a mistake for USC. They argue that it represents another instance of the program “punching themselves in the face” and potentially weakening their standing in college football. The loss of such a storied rivalry, they contend, would be a significant blow not just to the schools involved, but to the tradition and fabric of college football as a whole.
THE HISTORY OF NOTRE DAME-USC
This rivalry is one of college football’s greatest intersectional matchups. It began in 1926 and has been played annually except during World War II (1943–1945) and 2020 due to COVID-19. Notre Dame leads the series 51–37–5, with both teams vying for the Jeweled Shillelagh trophy. The rivalry, sparked by a conversation between the wives of Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne and USC’s athletic director, pits two elite programs with a combined 24 national championships and 15 Heisman winners.
Iconic games include the 1927 matchup at Soldier Field, drawing more than 112,000 fans, with Notre Dame winning 7–6. The 1970 USC upset saw the Trojans defeat second-ranked Notre Dame 38–14, with Joe Theismann throwing for 526 yards in a losing effort. In 1973, Notre Dame’s 85-yard touchdown run by Eric Penick secured a national title. The 2005 “Bush Push” game ended with USC’s controversial 34–31 victory, as Reggie Bush pushed Matt Leinart into the end zone in one of the greatest college football games that season. The 1988 game, featuring No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 USC, saw the Irish win 27–10 en route to a national championship under then-head coach Lou Holtz. That was the last Notre Dame national championship, though the Irish have played for two since then- in 2012 (42-14 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium in south Florida) and last season (34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta). The Trojans last won it all in 2004 and played for it again in 2005 but were edged by Vince Young and Texas, 41-38, in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
THIS SEASON
The two rivals meet this coming season on Oct. 18, 2025 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. The Irish open the 2025 season against Miami (Fla.) at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at Hard Rock Stadium. The game will be televised nationally by ABC. USC opens 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against Missouri State. The game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
