Last season, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish's rivalry. Marcus Freeman refused to play against the Trojans anywhere at any time. Months later, talks are brewing that the rivalry might be revived. 

“A person familiar with the discussions not authorized to talk about them publicly told The Times that Notre Dame is now willing to discuss playing the game earlier in the season, which had previously been a sticking point,” reported USC beat writer for LA Times, Ryan Kartje, on May 11. “A person familiar with the discussions told The Times that they were optimistic a deal could be reached.”

Back in December, last year, Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported that USC and Notre Dame failed to come to an agreement to play their annual rivalry game next season. The series dates back to 1926, and this year would have marked their 79th consecutive meeting.

Even with the rivalry’s storied history, sources indicated to Dellenger that scheduling conflicts and playoff-related concerns prevented the deal from getting finalized. Both USC and Notre Dame were close to agreeing on a two-year continuation of the series late in November.

However, Riley and the Trojans were concerned about the late-season timings. They believed earlier College Football Playoff selections suggested teams were judged more severely for losses late in the schedule.

"Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing in the next two years, and looking ahead after that and hopefully, continuing the series," Riley said, pointing fingers at Notre Dame’s decision. "They did not follow through on it. Thus, we are not playing them the next couple years."

Historically, meetings at Notre Dame Fighting Irish football were scheduled for mid-October in odd years. The Los Angeles matchup usually marked the end of the regular season.

USC Trojans and Notre Dame May Not Meet Again Until 2030

The report’s biggest takeaway is that Notre Dame Fighting Irish football appears willing to shift the game to an earlier date in the season. It will address the primary issue the Trojans have raised since last spring.

While discussions are ongoing, no official agreement has been reached. Kartje reported that pre-existing scheduling arrangements could delay the rivalry’s return until 2030, even in the case that an agreement is reached soon.

Notre Dame already has the BYU Cougars football on its schedule for both 2026 and 2027. At the same time, USC’s issues with Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff exemption have yet to be settled.

Since the first meeting in 1926, USC Trojans football and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football have played 96 games against one another. Notre Dame owns a 53-37-5 edge in the series. Their latest showdown came in October 2025, when Notre Dame secured a 34-24 win in South Bend.

If the two sides reach an agreement, will USC Trojans football be able to regain the upper hand in the rivalry? Share your thoughts. 

Read more at Michigan Football Community. 

Written by

Soheli Tarafdar

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar