USC-Notre Dame Rivalry Faces Uncertain Future

Lincoln Riley, the head coach of the USC Trojans football team, has expressed frustration over the end of the rivalry with Notre Dame. This storied matchup, long celebrated in college football, will not continue after both schools failed to agree on a series extension for the 2026-27 seasons.

Speaking to reporters prior to the Trojans’ game against TCU in the Valero Alamo Bowl, Riley indicated he was eager to continue facing the Fighting Irish.

“It’s very simple. We both spent months trying to find a solution,” Riley stated. He noted that Notre Dame had been open about their willingness to play USC anywhere, anytime, which is easier for them given their independent status in college football.

Riley pointed out that Notre Dame’s athletic director, Jen Cohen, proposed extending their series a couple of weeks ago, but that idea was quickly shot down.

“Five minutes after I received the call about the rejection, I saw that they announced a different opponent. I have to give them credit—this might be the quickest rescheduling in college football history,” he remarked. The team that replaced USC for Notre Dame’s schedule is BYU, which agreed to a home-and-home series instead.

Meanwhile, USC is in the process of filling out its own schedule for the upcoming seasons.

The rivalry dates back to 1926, with the two teams playing a total of 96 times and only missing four games—three during World War II and one during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I believed Notre Dame when they said they would play us anytime, anywhere,” Riley mentioned. He added, “If Notre Dame had kept its word, we would have played the next two years and hopefully continued the series beyond that.”

As it stands, the rivalry’s head-to-head record is 51-37-5 in favor of Notre Dame. It’s a disappointing turn for fans who value the history and excitement this matchup brings to college football.