One of college football’s most iconic rivalries may soon end, at least temporarily. The annual clash between USC and Notre Dame, a tradition that dates back to 1926, is no longer guaranteed beyond the 2025 season. According to Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated reports, discussions between the two schools regarding the series’ future have hit a roadblock.
The current agreement between the Trojans and Fighting Irish concludes after the 2025 matchup in South Bend, Ind., scheduled for Saturday, October 18. While USC has reportedly offered a one-year extension to host the rivalry game in Los Angeles, Calif., in 2026, Notre Dame is pushing for a longer-term commitment. Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua made his position clear, stating the Irish want the game played annually “for as long as college football is played.”
Despite mutual respect between the programs, scheduling pressures are straining the longstanding series. With USC now part of the Big Ten, the Trojans’ future schedules are more crowded than ever, especially with the expanded College Football Playoff on the horizon. Head coach Lincoln Riley and the athletic department are weighing how traditional non-conference games fit within a playoff-focused era.
Although nothing has been finalized, Notre Dame supporters have been outspoken in their desire to keep the rivalry alive. The yearly showdown has long been a fixture in the sport, showcasing legendary talent, unforgettable games, and championship-level stakes. From Heisman-winning performances to playoff implications, the USC-Notre Dame matchup has consistently stood out on the college football stage.
This wouldn’t be the first time the game has faced interruption. The rivalry was put on hold during World War II and again in 2020 because of COVID, but those were temporary and uncontested breaks. The current uncertainty, however, stems from shifting priorities in college football’s evolving landscape, making the future of this rivalry much more fragile.
Both sides have expressed interest in continuing the series. But unless an agreement is reached soon, the 2025 meeting in South Bend could mark the end of one of the sport’s most cherished traditions, at least for now.
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
View Comments (58)
"For as long as college football is played" could end as soon as the House Settlement is approved.
Can you explain more? What does the House settlement have to with this?
I hope USC end it and all the other Big 10 schools drop ND from future schedules. They had a chance to join and play all those teams and turned it down so piss on them
You clearly are not a real college football if you are not only okay with this great rivalry ending, but actively SUPPORT it. Also on your dumb point of Notre Dame not joining the B1G, they tried TWICE but religious bigotry by Michigan and other schools keep them out.
ND could have joined the Big 10 and played Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue, Maryland, Rutgers, etc., every year? Wow. How did they turn this down?
@Illininolesfan97 nice try, Dan Rakow.
Good News Illininoles97 I fully support your comments & hope you do not mind me talking about CFB on Thanksgiving weekend because I really like to see USC-UCLA play last weekend of regular season permanently to join Michigan-Ohio State & Northwestern-Illinois.
You are clueless.
Notre Dame wanted to join in the 1920s and the Big Ten commissioner pushed for their inclusion. However, anti-Catholicism bigotry prevented their induction.
One of the great rivalries in the game seems destined to disappear. Sad.
Going down the same path as Kansas-Nebraska and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State. The rivalry just stops with realignment.
Joseph As an Oklahoma State Cowboys Fan I am still giving teams like Baylor, Cincinnati & Kansas a chance & remain hopeful one of many Big 12 opponents will emerge as a conference rivalry for Oklahoma State.
I am still bummed that Iowa State and Kansas State are not playing in 2027, ending over a century of continuous play. Shame the Big 12 did not protect that annual rivalry.
Gerry, I support your comments even this Oklahoma State Fan want Big 12 to protect Iowa State/Kansas State Football rivalry.
If the Big XII cannot protect a rivalry that has been played every year since the dinosaurs were around. Then I don't know how they can make Oklahoma St vs Baylor a protected rivalry.
Oklahoma State and Cincinnati have zero history before 2023.
The B12 not protecting Farmageddon is simply that conference dropping the ball.
KU-UNL wasn't ever really a rivalry, but the Border War definitely was. And the Backyard Brawl also was broken up. But at least conference realignment brought back Texas-A&M and Texas-Arkansas and made the BYU-Utah Holy War a more meaningful conference game.
Richard Plus, I have with Big 12 that they play nine game conference schedules
If they end this rivalry I will go ballistic. This is one of my favorite rivalries and is one of the best in the sport. Far too many great rivalries have ended and I just can´t see another one go. The travel argument by USC is the lamest thing ever. If they hate the travel so much they shouldn´t have VOLUNTARILY joined the B1G and should just suck it up and deal with it. Also the fact that independent teams like my own and Notre Dame ironically for years have faced extensive travel miles for playing national schedules like they are doing now in the B1G. They simply cannot end this amazing rivalry and USC needs to figure their crap out and schedule a long-term agreement. I´m shocked that USC seems to simply be okay with ending something like this.
Well said, BYU fan.
Purdue would make a fantastic primary Big Ten opponent for Notre Dame to fill void left by USC & speaking of USC ending of Notre Dame rivalry will be good news for Big Ten & as a fan of Conference games I really like Big Ten to do all Conference games on Thanksgiving weekend & I have zero concerns on who Notre Dame will play on Thanksgiving weekend I have full confidence they will work something out.
I am very blessed & thankful that NBC will do last USC-Notre Dame rivalry as we know of 10/18 however USC-Notre Dame will resurrect again.
Purdue/ND and Michigan/ND and Michigan State/ND were all annual games until about 10 years ago.
Evn/an As a Michigan Wolverines Fan I do not miss Notre Dame rivalry however I do have respect for Fighting Irish.
As long as college football is played, there should be a USC vs Notre Dame, a Clemson vs South Carolina, a Florida vs FSU. and a Georgia vs Georgia Tech. We can all agree on that.
Joseph Georgia-Georgia Tech is My favorite of four CFB games played on Thanksgiving weekend however as a Georgia Bulldogs fan in SEC I would be happy to accept Georgia play SEC conference opponent like South Carolina or any other SEC teams on last weekend of regular season plus I am pulling for SEC go to nine game conference schedules.
Michigan-Ohio State, Northwestern-Illinois & Arizona State-Arizona are my other favorites that play on Thanksgiving weekend.
@Dan Rakow, these ACC-SEC matchups have been drilled in our heads for the last week of the regular season for as long as weve been watching college football. They seem to be safe. For now.
The USC side is claiming the issue is traveling to South Bend in the middle of the Big Ten season, and Notre Dame won’t agree to playing the game early in the season.
If that is really the case, this should be easy to resolve.
The even-numbered years are played in Los Angeles on the last weekend of the season, so those games shouldn’t be an issue unless they are concerned about travel from the dorm to the Coliseum.
For the odd-numbered years, play the game the second weekend of the season. No travel during the conference season, and avoid all of the big opening weekend games. The game would be a huge draw in primetime on NBC.
Notre Dame is actually open the second week of every odd-numbered year starting in 2027. All USC would need to do is move one home game vs. Nevada.
From a tradition perspective, the game in LA the last weekend of the season is a bigger deal than playing in South Bend in mid-October vs. early September.
I tend to doubt the date of the game is really USC’s motivation, but Notre Dame should call their bluff and offer that.
This is really going to motivate the Irish vs SC at South Bend this year. Trash the Trojans!
The reason they play mid-October in South Bend rather than Thanksgiving is because USC complained about playing in the cold weather. Move it back to Thanksgiving every year and the "middle of the Big10 season" excuse is taken care of.
USC visits Notre Dame in October or the rivalry ends
They're being wimps
To My buddy John Main reason, I would like Notre Dame-USC to play every third weekend in October is as A Big Ten Fan that Big Ten really like conference games in November during crucial stretch of season plus Big Ten are Fan of doing all conference games on Thanksgiving weekend & UCLA-USC should play every year last weekend of regular season just like Northwestern-Illinois & Michigan-Ohio State & I am very open minded for Notre Dame opponent on Thanksgiving weekend same thing with Oklahoma State & Syracuse.
Once USC signed up for 3-4 long trips east, this game was gonna be in jeopardy. But . . . if USC replaced ND with Stanford/Cal it would be better for west coast football and also better for athlete travel
It wouldn´t be better for the fans.
If USC cared about West Coast football, they wouldn't have left the Pac-12 for a conference with teams in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
They don't care about athlete travel. They knew what they were signing for up.
West Coast Football USC wants $$$$$.
@Drew, Cal and Stanford are already filling their schedules with weak, FCS and non west coast opponents. Texas Southern is one of them.
Kevin, your website has USC hosting Notre Dame in 2026, yet this story indicates the series will end this year. I am confused.
Another OOC opponent will replace Notre Dame for USC it is going to happen Hawaii Dave.
In a nutshell.
The "LOVE" of money is the root of all evil.
Longstanding rivalries destroyed, switching conferences trying to find a better looking girlfriend so you can show off, control by a select few, no respect for the game with incessant commercialization to garner the most revenue.
The luster is gone.