Notre Dame-USC continues to be an annual tradition, but it may not be the case that much longer.
Due to the ever-changing nature of college football, new rivalries are beginning to take shape, forcing out the likes of the aforementioned to the disappointment of long-time college football fans.
One coach wants to keep it, however. And that’s Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. This year's meeting, as per usual, takes place mid-season in South Bend, while in opposite years, it caps the season with the Fighting Irish heading to California.
"It’s pretty black and white for me. You want my opinion? I want to play them every single year," Freeman told reporters. "When? I don’t care. I don’t care when we play them. Start of the season, middle of the season, end of the season — I don’t care. I want to play USC every year because it’s great for college football.”
Freeman added how much the rivalry means to him personally and how much of a stain it would be if the rivalry was taken away.
"I want to play USC every year because I think it's great for college football: that rivalry, USC-Notre Dame," Freeman said. "Before I even got to Notre Dame, everybody watched that game. Everybody remembers moments from that game that just stick out in their mind."
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Notre Dame brass, including AD Pete Bevacqua, agree with Freeman.
"I think Southern Cal and Notre Dame should play every year for as long as college football is played, and SC knows that's how we feel," Bevacqua told SI.
This year's matchup is set for Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.