The USC–Notre Dame rivalry has been an integral part of the football tradition for almost a century. More than just a football game, it has been a fall classic. The matchup became one of college football’s finest theatre acts, from Knute Rockne’s ghosts to Reggie Bush’s thunderbolts. However, on Oct. 18, 2025, there is a chance that the curtains might fall on this event.
The tradition that began in 1926 with a handshake agreement between legends could now dissolve in the boardroom fog. It is not official just yet, but the voices are loud. The golden era charm of this rivalry is getting pushed aside by the realities. And yes, that’s all thanks to USC’s big Big Ten payday.
After 95 Games and 100 Years, the USC–Notre Dame Rivalry May Not Survive the Big Ten Era
There is a good chance that October will be the final chapter of the current contract. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has made his position crystal clear. “I think Southern Cal and Notre Dame should play every year for as long as college football is played, and SC knows that’s how we feel,” he told Sports Illustrated. But USC is playing this differently.
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They’re playing defense. The Trojans offered a one-year extension through 2026, but they’re sidestepping a long-term commitment. But why is that? Well, blame it on the Big Ten shuffle. USC’s move to the conference last year handed them a TV check twice the size of their Pac-12 days. The deal is estimated to have given USC a $63 million payday. But of course, a cheque that size comes with strings.
USC’s strings include nine conference games, cross-country travel, and strength-of-schedule nightmares that make any coach break into a cold sweat. In addition to that, there is uncertainty surrounding the college football playoff format. So not-so-surprisingly, USC is not ready to ink any rivalry into stone just yet. But this is no ordinary rivalry.
Notre Dame and USC have combined for 16 national championships since the AP poll began in 1936. Every time the two go up against each other, history is on the line. Whether Joe Montana is staging second-half heroics or Matt Leinart is pushing the pile at the goal line in South Bend, it is simply iconic.
The rivalry has made cameos in The Godfather Part II, Die Hard, and The Sopranos. And of course, there is no forgetting the trash talk on shows like American Gladiators. So, cancelling such a match just because the travel miles are long is sad. Lincoln Riley’s in a tough spot, and he knows it.
At Big Ten media days last summer, he said, “I would love to [continue the series]… Now, if you get in a position where you got to make a decision on what’s best for SC to help us win a national championship vs. keeping that [rivalry], shoot, then you got to look at it.” In other words, nostalgia is great, but not if it costs a CFP bid. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s already moving on with or without USC.
They have a 12-year deal with Clemson starting in 2027. And Notre Dame insists that this deal will not interfere with their ability to keep playing the Trojans. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips confirmed that only five of those twelve games will count toward the school’s ACC football obligations. But still, the logistics are getting tight. There are only so many Saturdays in a fall, and the Fighting Irish card is filling up quickly.
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Additionally, let’s not forget where these programs currently stand. Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame is on an upward climb. Meanwhile, Lincoln Riley’s Trojans have gone from 11–3 to 7–6 since joining the Big Ten. It is evident from this that the USC-Notre Dame rivalry isn’t dying from
a lack of love. It’s being smothered by scheduling spreadsheets and playoff paranoia.
This could go either way. And the fandom might as well jot down the date October 18, 2025. It might be the last time we witness one of college football’s last actual transcontinental battles. And if it fades into the archives, it won’t be because the fans stopped caring. It’ll be because the game forgot what made it great.
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