Why USC, Notre Dame Rivalry Will Be Most Intense: 2025 College Football Schedule

The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish have one of the most historic rivalries in college football. Between players switching schools through the transfer portal and the risk of the rivalry ending, the 2025 matchup will be one of the most intense games of the season.

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. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Oct. 18 for the annual rivalry matchup. The matchup has been occurring since 1926 and will be a highly anticipated matchup in 2025.

USC holds a 37-52-5 record against Notre Dame, currently on a two-year losing streak in the battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh.

Another interesting wrinkle in the upcoming matchup is the transfer of former Notre Dame safety Kennedy Urlacher who committed to USC in the offseason.

Urlacher is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher and saw playing time in 2024 as a true freshman. He finished the season with Notre Dame in 2024, playing in five games. Urlacher finished the season with 12 combined tackles, seven solo, one pass defended, and one fumble recovery. Urlacher was a big recruitment for Notre Dame and will likely contribute to USC’s defense. 

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. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On the other side, former USC Trojans defensive lineman Elijah Hughes transferred to Notre Dame during the winter transfer portal window. Hughes spent two years with the Trojans and while he did earn playing time, it was not a substantial amount. In 2024, he finished the season with six tackles and one sack.

With the two transfers, the rivalry is already going to be a highly anticipated matchup in the fall. There will likely be added fuel to the fire with disputes between the programs on keeping the rivalry going.

With the possibility of the matchup in the fall being one of the last times the rivalry faces off, the battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh will be even more intense.

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The two schools are looking to keep the rivalry going, but they are reportedly having disputes over how long. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are looking to work out a multi-year deal while USC is looking to take it one year at a time. 

“I think Southern Cal and Notre Dame should play every year for as long as college football is played,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said. “SC knows how we feel.”

One of the Trojans' concerns about a long-term deal is the added need to travel since the team has moved to the Big Ten. The other issue is with the new College Football Playoff format still changing, USC reportedly wants to wait to find out if the Big Ten conference will have automatic qualifiers.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC has offered solutions, such as moving the game to earlier in the season, but there has yet to be an agreement.

With the ongoing issues, there is a chance the 2025 matchup will be one of the last times the teams will face for a while, adding to the anticipation. In 2024, USC and Notre Dame faced off for the final game of the regular season. While Notre Dame controlled the game, winning 49-35, it was an exciting, high-scoring matchup. 

Notre Dame went on to compete for a National Championship while USC finished the season with a 7-6 record. The teams brought in key staff and roster additions, both looking to improve in 2025.

“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 said. “It’s a special game to our fans and our institution. We will continue to work with Notre Dame on scheduling future games.”

With the conversation that USC coach Lincoln Riley wants to end the rivalry, putting the chance for a National Championship win first, the game in the fall will be a must-watch for college football fans.

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