The USC-Notre Dame rivalry ranks among college football’s most celebrated traditions. It is a near-century-long saga of thrilling games and national title implications. Since their inaugural clash in 1926, these two iconic programs have delivered unforgettable moments that resonate with fans and define the sport’s heritage.
Still, this storied matchup now faces an uncertain future. USC head coach Lincoln Riley has floated the idea of discontinuing the annual game, a move that has unleashed a wave of backlash from fans, alumni, and purists of the game.
Riley’s position emerges from USC’s seismic shift to the Big Ten conference, which has reshaped the Trojans’ competitive landscape. The new reality includes daunting matchups against Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State, coupled with longer road trips and harsher weather conditions.
Against this backdrop, Riley’s strategy seems laser-focused on securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs, even if it means sidelining a historic rivalry.
A Legacy at Stake: The USC-Notre Dame Rivalry’s Rich History
The USC-Notre Dame rivalry kicked off on November 27, 1926, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where Notre Dame edged out a 13-12 victory. That game laid the foundation for a fiercely competitive series that has since become a cornerstone of college football.
Through the decades, the matchup has delivered iconic moments, like the 1974 Notre Dame comeback, when the Fighting Irish erased a 24-0 deficit to win 55-24, or the 2005 “Bush Push” thriller, where USC’s Matt Leinart scored with seconds left for a 34-31 triumph.
The numbers reflect the rivalry’s intensity. As of the 2023 season, USC holds a 48-37-5 edge in the all-time series, a testament to the back-and-forth battles that have defined this clash.
Periods of dominance have swung both ways, with USC thriving in the early 2000s under Pete Carroll and Notre Dame reclaiming momentum in recent years with Brian Kelly at the helm.
Lincoln Riley’s Calculated Move: Prioritizing Playoff Success Over Tradition
Lincoln Riley arrived at USC in 2021 with a mission to revive a program that had lost its luster. His early tenure delivered results, including a 2023 Pac-12 title and a College Football Playoff berth.
However, the 2024 move to the Big Ten has upended the equation. Gone are the days of lighter conference programs like Oregon State or Cal; now, the Trojans must contend with juggernauts like Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State on a regular basis.
This shift has prompted Riley to rethink USC’s non-conference slate, particularly the annual Notre Dame game. During a discussion on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, former coach Chris Petersen offered insight into Riley’s mindset.
“I get 100% where the Trojans are coming from,” Petersen said. “Now, do I like that for the greater good of football? Absolutely not. No one does that loves college football. That’s one of the most historic rivalries. It is about getting to the College Football Playoffs.”
He pointed to the brutal Big Ten schedule and the added strain of travel and weather as key drivers behind the potential change.
The logic hinges on playoff math. Facing Notre Dame, a perennial contender, atop an already punishing conference lineup could jeopardize USC’s win-loss record, a metric Petersen noted the playoff committee heavily favors.
“They lean very heavily on the wins and losses, maybe more so than the strength of schedule,” he observed.
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Dropping the game might preserve a cleaner resume, boosting USC’s postseason odds in a 12-team playoff era where every loss is magnified.
November trips to South Bend often mean frigid conditions and cross-country flights, taxing a team already stretched by Big Ten road games. Riley’s vision appears to favor early-season meetings with Notre Dame, if at all, rather than a fixed late-season slugfest.
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