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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. Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Legend Rips USC Apart in Latest Rivalry Discussion

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 2:52 PM ET

Notre Dame and USC, owners of the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football, sit on the brink of the end. No games are scheduled between the two following this season's upcoming October contest, and each day that goes by seems to suggest the seemingly inevitable will end up happening.

One of the first players many think of when Notre Dame football comes up is quarterback Brady Quinn. Seemingly every passing record at the school is his, as he twice finished as a Heisman Trophy finalist in the blue and gold.

One thing Quinn was never able to do at Notre Dame, though, was beat USC.

Mike Bernadino of the South Bend Tribune recently caught up with Quinn at the annual Golic Subpar Classic golf outing in South Bend, and the former Fighting Irish star was certainly in the mood to throw plenty of shade at an old rival.

Asked about his current teammate on Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff Show Matt Leinart, Quinn had a jab for the former USC quarterback.

"I'm not sure where Matt stands on it," Quinn said. "We haven't had the chance to talk about it this summer. I think he'd be for it, but I think he's probably a little hesitant nowadays because everyone can pay their players."

There might be some shade there, but no lies are detected. Notre Dame has owned the rivalry since Pete Carroll left, and as anyone with common sense knows, USC wasn't putting together their roster by following the rules back then.

John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Quinn then went on to add how the likely loss of the rivalry isn't necessarily a huge deal for Notre Dame, because the University won't have any theoretical blood on its hands.

"I don't think it's a level of concern around Notre Dame guys," Quinn said. "Notre Dame wants to play it, I think the university wants to play it. Marcus Freeman wants to play it. The players want to play it."

"It seems like it's a one-sided issue for Southern Cal. Maybe they should figure it out because they seemed to make a bed for themselves, and now they have to lay in it. That's their struggle, so maybe they need to worry about themselves."

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeway:

First off, Bernadino's entire piece is worth reading. Quinn said things that he's said to Leinart on podcasts and during shows over the years, and doesn't hold back, which makes it great, but Ian Book, Allen Pinkett, and other former Notre Dame stars also have quotes worth reading.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As for Quinn's comments, he's right.

Does anyone actually think Notre Dame is the one losing something here? USC looks the part of the scared dog, running home and away from the bigger dog on the block. The Fighting Irish have already scheduled an extensive series with Clemson, who has been a far superior program compared to USC in the last decade-and-a-half.

Combine that with regular season dates already scheduled against the likes of Texas, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, and several other powerhouses, and Notre Dame clearly isn't hurting. Then look at the Utah State or Missouri State that USC will replace Notre Dame with, and tell me which program is losing something.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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