Notre Dame-USC football rivalry in danger of ending, SI reports

One of college football’s most prestigious rivalry games could be in danger of ending as the future of the Notre Dame vs. USC series remains in peril, according to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde.

The rivalry that dates back to 1926 is “on the brink of ending,” as the two schools may not come to an agreement to play beyond the 2025 football season, per the report.

This year’s version of the game, set for Oct. 18 in South Bend, is the last one in the current contract between Notre Dame and USC.

USC offered a one-year extension to play at the Coliseum in 2026, while Notre Dame is interested in securing a long-term agreement, according to SI.

“The two sides see the situation very differently, with talks ongoing,” Forde said.

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said that his school is seeking a long-term extension of the rivalry, saying they should play every year “as long as college football is played.”

The hesitation reputedly comes from USC’s end, as the school is reluctant to enter into any long-term agreement given the apparent uncertainty around the College Football Playoff and what the postseason format will look like in the years to come.

There is also concern about having the Trojans travel to the Midwest every other year when they’re already on the road so much to play their other Big Ten conference games.

One possible solution would be to move the game to the start of the football season, an idea brought up by USC, according to the SI report.

For its part, USC has stated it wants to continue the rivalry.

“We want the USC-Notre Dame rivalry to continue, which is why we offered an extension of the agreement,” Southern Cal athletic director Cody Worsham told SI.

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

Last offseason, USC head coach Lincoln Riley expressed concern that the Notre Dame series could be sacrificed, but said that he personally wants to continue the rivalry.

Known as the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football, USC and Notre Dame have met almost every year since 1926, with World War II and the Covid pandemic being the only exceptions.

Now it’s very much an open question, leaving one of college football’s most historic games up for grabs at a time when the sport is already undergoing major structural change.

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