Notre Dame Athletic Director Addresses Future Rivalry with USC Trojans

The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish have one of the most historic rivalries in college football, but the annual matchup could be ending. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua provided an update on the current status of the rivalry.

Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The annual matchup between the USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is one of the most historic rivalries in college football. The two faced off in 2025, but that was the last scheduled matchup for the near future.

Notre Dame and USC have yet to reach an agreement to extend their rivalry, as the programs are struggling to agree on when the matchup will take place. Notre Dame’s athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, provided an update about the rivalry while appearing on “The Echos” with Jessica Smetana and Mike Golic Jr. 

Pete Bevacqua, athletic director for the University of Notre Dame, announces Pat Garrity as the new men's and women's basketball general manager, during a press conference at Notre Dame Stadium on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We’ve had really good positive conversations with USC and Jen Cohen, their AD. I’m hopeful, Jess, that we’ll get something done here in short order. I think we’ll do a short-term extension. And then quite frankly, there might be a gap or two in that series and then pick it back up,” Bevacqua said.

“I can certainly speak for Notre Dame, and I can pretty much speak, and confidently speak, for USC. Both schools want to keep this going,” Bevacqua continued. “They have to be obviously very aware of our schedule. We have to be aware of their schedule. We both have to be aware of the new reality in college football. But, I’ve had great conversations with Jen Cohen, and we’re both committed, and Notre Dame and USC are both committed to getting something done.”

Nov 11, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Bevacqua’s biggest update from his statement is that the two schools may be coming to terms with doing a short-term extension. This has been an idea before, but it may be coming to that as the two programs struggle to agree on the schedule. There is also a reality that the rivalry stays on hold because the programs cannot work out a deal. 

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Neither fanbase wants to see this happen, but on a positive note, Bevacqua added that he is confident that Notre Dame and USC will come to an agreement. Despite Bevacqua's comments, there is still no resolution, and fans will have to continue to wait for a deal to occur.

Why Scheduling Matters For USC

Nov 22, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman greets fans while walking to the stadium before facing the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The matchup between the Trojans and Fighting Irish dates back to 1926, and despite its history, the game may have to pause due to disagreements over when it takes place. The matchup has only halted twice, which were due to unforeseen circumstances. The first was during a hiatus during World War II, and the second was in 2020 during the COVID-19 season.

The reason scheduling is a concern for the Trojans is that it would be beneficial for USC to move the game earlier, ideally within the first three weeks of the season. For the Trojans, this would keep the game when the team focuses on its non-conference schedule.

The timing will also make traveling easier on USC throughout the season. Since joining the Big Ten, the Trojans are among the teams that have to travel the most throughout the season. Moving the matchup to when the Trojans face non-conference opponents would be less strenuous on the program.

Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley applauds after a touchdown in the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Trojans currently do not have a 2026 matchup scheduled against the Fighting Irish, and the 2025 game will be the last between the two for a while unless a short-term agreement is reached. The Trojans are 37-53-5 against Notre Dame, currently on a three-game losing streak.