Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua shares update on USC rivalry series

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Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua shares update on USC rivalry series

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated May 14, 2026 4:19 PM ET

The rivalry between Notre Dame and USC won't be played in 2026. With the exception of COVID-19, it's the first time the series isn't being played since World War II.

There was no shortage of finger-pointing from both fan bases and no shortage of blame for both sides. In all of it, one thing was pretty clear, though, both Notre Dame and USC seem to want to play each other; they just couldn't agree on when or where.

It hasn't even been a season without the rivalry, and already there have been reports that the two sides are discussing bringing the game back. Now, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has confirmed that the two sides are in discussions.

“Do we want to play USC in the future? 100 percent, yeah,” Bevacqua said, according to The Athletic's Pete Sampson. “We think that’s great for Notre Dame. We think it’s great for USC, we think it is great for college football. And at this point, that’s really all I can say about that.”

The series had broken up for a few reasons. However, to break it down simply, USC did not like the game taking place in the middle of conference play and wanted it moved to the beginning of the season. Notre Dame disagreed, needing a marquee game later in the year. They seemed to be getting close to a deal, but then it was widely reported that Notre Dame is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff if it finishes in the top 12 of the final rankings.

Playing the Notre Dame-USC game is best for everyone

College football is going through a period of massive transition. The postseason format is changing, conferences are realigning membership, and how rosters get built is a brand-new world. For a sport that used to be built on tradition, it's largely lost it.

That might be a little philosophical about the sport, but the Notre Dame-USC game is a piece of that tradition that was lost. Getting it back, under any circumstances, would be massive for fans.

In the case of the Irish, USC is a marquee opponent. On top of that, it's a marquee opponent they play later in the season, boosting both their strength of schedule and eye test when the College Football Playoff selection committee goes to rank them. It's not always easy to find major opponents who want to play, let alone after September, and otherwise, the Irish can have a very easy schedule.

As for USC, the Notre Dame game is a nonconference game that can help differentiate the Trojans from other Big Ten teams. Particularly, if the College Football Playoff does expand, a selection committee needs to decide between similar teams.

Notre Dame and USC playing every fall just makes sense. Getting this deal done as quickly as possible would be best for everyone involved.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

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