Is the Notre Dame-USC rivalry coming to an end?
The cancellation of the most famous intersectional rivalry in college football appears to be on the table, as this October’s game in South Bend, Ind., is the last game on the series’ current contract.
Irish athletic director Pete Bevacqua told Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde: “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.”
But Forde reported that USC has only offered a one-year extension for a game in Los Angeles in 2026, as the Trojans try to maintain flexibility after their move to the Big Ten.
“We want the USC–Notre Dame rivalry to continue, which is why we offered an extension of our agreement,” USC associate athletic director Cody Worsham told Forde. “It’s a special game to our fans and our institution. We will continue to work with Notre Dame on scheduling future games.”
USC’s every-other-year trip to Notre Dame — in the heart of Big Ten country — regularly takes place in October. The Trojans have added a tone of mileage to their travel schedule since joining the Big Ten in 2024.
But these schools have met 95 times, taking breaks only for World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. They have won a combined 16 national titles since AP poll launched in 1936.
If this series were to end, it would be one more historic casualty of the ever-changing college football landscape — and a shame.