One of college football’s most iconic rivalries is hitting pause - and not the kind that comes with a guaranteed return date.
Notre Dame and USC, two of the sport’s blueblood programs, are putting their historic series on indefinite hiatus after failing to reach an agreement to extend the rivalry beyond this season. The final scheduled matchup, originally set for 2026 at the Coliseum, has officially been scrapped. In its place, Notre Dame announced a new home-and-home series with BYU for 2026 and 2027.
This isn’t just another scheduling shakeup - this is the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, a rivalry that’s been a fixture of the college football calendar for nearly a century. Outside of the three seasons lost during World War II and the pandemic-canceled 2020 game, the Irish and Trojans have gone toe-to-toe every year since 1926.
That’s 95 meetings, 36 of them with both teams ranked, and a whole lot of history packed into one matchup. Notre Dame currently leads the series 51-37-5.
Both schools released a joint statement Monday afternoon, acknowledging the weight of the decision and leaving the door open for a future reunion:
“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football, and our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh. The rivalry between our two schools is one of the best in all of sport, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”
That future, however, is now murky.
Behind the scenes, there was one final push to keep the series alive. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua and USC AD Jen Cohen spoke Monday morning in a last-ditch effort to find common ground. But the logistics - and the evolving demands of the modern college football landscape - proved too much to overcome.
Cohen had previously voiced her concerns back in February, pointing to the challenges of USC’s new Big Ten schedule, which now involves cross-country travel almost every other week. Add in the expanded College Football Playoff format, and suddenly, a non-conference heavyweight like Notre Dame becomes a tougher sell.
“In an ideal world, we’re going to keep playing each other,” Cohen said at the time. “With that being said, the landscape has changed dramatically… It’s my job to evaluate what’s best for our student-athletes and our program.”
USC reportedly floated the idea of moving the game to a neutral site earlier in the season, but the two sides couldn’t come to terms on that either. And from USC’s standpoint, the scheduling squeeze is real. In 2024, the Trojans had to navigate a brutal slate that included both Notre Dame and LSU on top of a full nine-game Big Ten schedule.
It’s hard to argue that USC and Notre Dame haven’t done their part in carrying the sport’s tradition. Between them, they claim 22 national championships and have produced a who’s who of college football legends - from Knute Rockne and Lou Holtz to Howard Jones and John McKay. Their rivalry has often served as a measuring stick for greatness, a coast-to-coast clash that brought together different styles, different histories, and different fan bases.
The game’s placement on the calendar has always added to the drama. When played in South Bend, it typically lands midseason.
When it’s in L.A., it’s the regular-season finale - often with postseason implications on the line. Just this past season, the Irish knocked off a ranked USC team 34-24, marking the 36th time both teams entered the game ranked.
Only Ohio State-Michigan (50) and Texas-Oklahoma (45) have had more ranked-vs-ranked matchups.
Bevacqua, for his part, has been vocal about wanting the rivalry to continue uninterrupted. But with the door closing - at least for now - Notre Dame wasted no time filling the void.
Enter BYU.
The Irish will now face the Cougars in a home-and-home series, with the first game set for 2026 in Provo and the return trip to South Bend in 2027. It’s a strong pivot.
BYU, the Big 12 runner-up this season, was in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation before falling just short of the final cut. And while the rivalry doesn’t carry the same historical weight, it’s not without a backstory.
Notre Dame and BYU have met seven times, with the Irish holding a 5-2 edge. Their last meeting came in 2022 in Las Vegas.
Looking ahead, Notre Dame’s schedule remains as ambitious as ever. In addition to BYU, the Irish have home-and-home series lined up with Auburn, Texas, Michigan State, Michigan, Florida, Alabama, and Indiana - not to mention a 12-year agreement with Clemson.
Still, it’s hard not to feel the loss of Notre Dame-USC. This wasn’t just a game - it was a tradition.
A cross-country clash that stood the test of time. And while both programs say they’re committed to bringing it back, the reality of today’s college football world makes that easier said than done.
For now, the Jeweled Shillelagh heads to the shelf. Here’s hoping it doesn’t gather too much dust.