Notre Dame Fighting Irish, USC Trojans Trending in Opposite Directions

One of the USC Trojans' most bitter rivals, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, have advanced to the 2025 National Championship after beating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman's success in his third full season leading the Fighting Irish, and he already has them competing for a national title.
What does Notre Dame's success mean for the Trojans? Currently, it appears as though the two teams are on opposite trajectories.
In his first season as the coach of USC, Lincoln Riley won 11 games with a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback in Caleb Williams, but the Trojans lost to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game and failed to make the College Football Playoff.
In Williams' second season at USC, the Trojans won eight games under Riley. In 2024, they finished with a record of 7-6.
When the transfer portal opened in early December, USC lost over 20 players to the portal. However, Riley and his staff have received commitments from transfers such as Kentucky defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver and San Jose State cornerback DJ Harvey. Perhaps most importantly, Riley and his staff were able to convince USC safety Kamari Ramsey to return for another season instead of entering the NFL Draft.
The Trojans coach recently hired Colorado State wide receivers coach Chad Savage to work with USC's tight ends and inside wide receivers. Savage's hiring indicates an emphasis being placed on recruiting in Southern California by USC, as Savage has ties to the area as well as an impressive recruiting resume.
Additionally, reports have surfaced of USC looking to hire an experienced general manager to work alongside Riley in building the Trojans' roster.
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Across the country, Freeman and his team will face either Texas or Ohio State in the National Championship, while the Trojans' season ended on Dec. 27 after beating the Texas A&M Aggies in the Las Vegas Bowl.
In the last two recruiting cycles, Notre Dame has signed a class that ranks higher than USC's according to the 247Sports Composite.
After Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to coach the LSU Tigers in the SEC, the Fighting Irish promoted Freeman from defensive coordinator to head coach. Despite the early loss to Northern Illinois, Notre Dame finished the rest of their schedule unscathed. On the path to a National Championship berth, the Fighting Irish beat the Georgia Bulldogs and Penn State Nittany Lions.
Freeman celebrated his 39th birthday on Jan. 10, making him the 13th youngest coach in the FBS. Other young coaches under the age of 40 led their teams to the College Football Playoff, like Arizona State Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham, Boise State Broncos coach Spencer Danielson, and Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning.
With Freeman leading Notre Dame, USC's rival seemingly has their coach of the future. How will the Trojans respond under the leadership of Lincoln Riley?
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