Future of USC Trojans vs. Notre Dame Rivalry Reportedly in Danger

The rivalry game between the USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is reportedly not being played in the 2026 season.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported that both schools are exploring different opponents to play next year and that Notre Dame is entering a schedule agreement with BYU. With the Fighting Irish agreeing to a home-and-home series against BYU, a former independent before joining the Big 12, the status of the USC and Notre Dame rivalry is relatively unclear.

USC Trojans Notre Dame Fighting Irish schedule update rivalry series lincoln riley marcus freeman pete bevacqua jen cohen — Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman shake hands after the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"The latest round of discussions among administrators at each school fizzled over the last two weeks — a stunning about-face. In fact, the two programs were on the verge of finalizing a two-year extension of their agreement in late November, with USC agreeing to host Notre Dame next season on the traditional date after Thanksgiving and the Irish hosting in 2027," Dellenger wrote.

Dellenger also reported that USC and Notre Dame disagreed on when the game would be played, but both schools explored the possibility of playing each other during week zero. Instead of a short-term extension, the iconic rivalry series might not be played again until the 2030 season, according to Dellenger.

Despite the lack of a scheduling agreement, USC athletic director Jen Cohen and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua have both been outspoken in their support of extending the rivalry.

The discussion surrounding the scheduling conflict between USC and Notre Dame has been when to play the game. The Trojans' reported argument is that playing the Fighting Irish during the middle of a Big Ten season puts the team at a disadvantage when it comes to College Football Playoff selection.

In 2026, USC is scheduled to play Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Washington as part of the team's conference schedule. The goal in college football has increasingly shifted towards making the CFP, and non-conference matchups are no longer viewed in the same light by major programs.

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Notre Dame lost to Miami and Texas A&M to start the season, and the Fighting Irish ultimately missed out on the postseason. USC lost to Notre Dame, Illinois, and Oregon, and the Trojans' loss to the Ducks ultimately eliminated them from CFP contention.

USC is scheduled to face the TCU Horned Frogs on Dec. 30 in the Alamo Bowl. After being left out of the CFP this year, Notre Dame declined an invite to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, opening the door for BYU to play Georgia Tech on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Both USC and Notre Dame are expected to be in the CFP conversation throughout the 2026 season, but the teams are unlikely to square off on the field. A Trojans vs. Fighting Irish playoff game would be historic, but the regular season game is historic enough.

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