Why USC Trojans, Notre Dame Rivalry Ending Would Be 'Huge Loss'

The USC Trojans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have one of the most historic rivalries in college football. Among the many changes in college sports, the rivalry that is loved by many may be coming to an end.

The conversation about USC and Notre Dame ending the rivalry took off in May following a report by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde that the programs are struggling to come up with a long-term agreement.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel talked about the rivalry’s potential end on the "College GameDay Podcast," discussing that it would be a huge loss for the sport.

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman chat before the game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

“For Notre Dame and USC, that would be a giant loss for the sport,” Thamel said. “Like, that would be a huge loss for the sport, and I do wonder if the outcry, shaming USC for pondering losing it will win out.”

Notre Dame is pushing for a long-term agreement while USC is looking to reevaluate the game on a yearly basis. One of the reasons that USC is starting to turn away from the rivalry is due to the intense travel since entering the Big Ten conference.

The Trojans have been met with pressure, including the rumor that boosters are threatening to reach out to the Board of Trustees about the future of the rivalry. Fans are also voicing their distaste for the chance of the USC-Notre Dame game ending.

“What you’re also doing… you’re also shoving a middle finger in the face of fans,” Thamel added. “If you’re a USC fan, that’s the game you care about the most, and I would argue you care more about that game than UCLA. UCLA is your local rival, but your national relevance that is.”

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The Trojans and Fighting Irish have been facing off since 1926. In almost 100 years there have only been two instances that the Trojans and Fighting Irish did not play each other 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.

This is a big non-conference game that fans across the nation tune into. Thamel argues that losing that game would be a tough blow to USC.

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

“There’s no more pro-market than LA. And people in LA are not excited when Purdue comes to town. They’re certainly not excited at the non-con USC has right now outside of [Notre Dame],” Thamel said. “I think this was a Lincoln Riley overreaction to having to play LSU and Notre Dame last year. Now, they won the LSU game… So, worrying about the travel, thinking about that.”

“That would be a tough press release to send out if you’re USC when you do that because you are just waving the white flag and putting yourself in the fetal position and saying, ‘We can’t compete like we used to.’ It’s simple, ‘We can’t compete like we used to. We don’t want to be challenged,’” Thamel said.

Following the move to the Big Ten, USC coach Lincoln Riley has been open that he would put winning a National Championship ahead of a rivalry. One solution USC has proposed was moving the game to earlier in the season, which Thamel agrees would be a smart solution.

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

If the issue is the traveling, the Trojans pushing to move the game early would draw in ratings and be a smart solution to keeping the beloved rivalry. Moving the rivalry to potentially Week 0 could kick off the College Football season in a big way.

“Can you imagine if that game became a Week 0 staple? If it kicked off the season, it would be a sensation,” Thamel argued. “Because it’s interesting when you get into the value of games, and conferences, and all this stuff. We're in the mode of TV deals, Pac-12 is coming down soon. Like, that singular game value. Just that one game, especially if it’s in a sport where it’s gonna be a little by itself.”

“Imagine that game as like a kickoff to the season. It would be a monster,” Thamel said.

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