NCAA Football: Notre Dame at Southern California Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame: USC coach slammed for being scared to play Irish

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 9:36 AM ET

In May, a report via Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde claimed that the annual rivalry between Notre Dame and USC was in peril. The only contest currently scheduled between the two schools will happen on Oct. 18.

While the Irish want the rivalry on the books every year, the Trojans are worried that the game will make it harder for their program to reach the College Football Playoff, especially since the school joined the Big Ten before 2024.

The Trojans went 7-6 last season and went 4-5 in conference play.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley is scared to play Notre Dame

USC head coach Lincoln Riley hasn’t had the success he envisioned when he signed a 10-year, $110 million deal in 2023. He’s gone 26-10 with the Trojans and is 1-2 against the Irish.

In his mailbag this week for The Athletic, Pete Sampson slammed Riley for being too scared to face the Irish yearly. While not playing a blue-blood program in the greatest intersectional rivalry in the sport might improve USC’s chances of making the CFP, it hurts Riley’s credibility as an elite coach.

“The Trojans need a win over the Irish to validate Riley’s project, which feels tenuous at best,” Sampson wrote. “Too many cautious programs and coaches worry about the schedule being too hard. They should spend more time on the upside of winning signature games.

“Marcus Freeman has already proved himself that way, not just by beating USC but by making the CFP run. Riley is much less defined, but a potential win over Notre Dame may change the perceptions around USC. He just needs to have the constitution to take on that challenge. It’s not clear that he does.”

USC sold its soul to hire Riley and then join the Big Ten. Now the Trojans and Riley are willing to throw away tradition because they know Riley is incapable of having the type of success Pete Carroll enjoyed at the Irish’s and college football’s expense.

NCAA Football: Notre Dame at Southern California Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts after cornerback Christian Gray (29) blocks a pass against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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