Marcus Freeman isn’t shying away from the noise around Notre Dame’s historic rivalry with USC hitting pause - but he’s also not losing sleep over it. When the topic came up during his Thursday media availability, Freeman couldn’t help but laugh before giving a candid, thoughtful response that shed light on where things stand and why the Irish are taking a step back from the Trojans - at least for now.
It wasn’t a dismissive laugh. It was the kind of chuckle you give when you know a question is coming before it’s even asked.
And when it did, Freeman didn’t dodge. He leaned into it.
“You know me, I’m a competitive individual, and I want to go and go play anytime, anywhere,” Freeman said. “But at the same token, it’s important that I make decisions, too, that are best for the program.”
That’s the heart of it. Freeman isn’t ducking USC or downplaying the weight of the rivalry - quite the opposite.
He made it clear the matchup matters, not just to the two schools, but to college football as a whole. But when it came down to the logistics of this year’s proposed date change, the head coach had to put his team first.
The issue? USC reportedly wanted to shift the game from its traditional late-season spot to Week 0 - the earliest possible start to the college football calendar.
That’s a big ask. It means ramping up a week earlier, adjusting training schedules, and potentially sacrificing rhythm and recovery later in the year.
For a team with College Football Playoff ambitions, that’s no small disruption.
Freeman wasn’t about to throw his program off course for the sake of one game, even if that game is steeped in tradition and national attention. He acknowledged how much the rivalry means, but he also emphasized that it has to fit within the broader goals for the season - and right now, that means doing what gives Notre Dame the clearest path to the Playoff.
“I want to play the game,” Freeman said. “But it has to make sense.”
And here’s the part that shows Freeman’s leadership: he’s not pointing fingers or playing the blame game. If fans are looking for someone to hold accountable for the pause in the rivalry, Freeman says they can look directly at him.
That’s not deflection - it’s ownership. He’s doing what he believes is necessary to position Notre Dame where it wants to be in December and January: in the thick of the national title hunt.
The Irish have been on the wrong side of the Playoff bubble before, and Freeman doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. Every decision - including whether to play USC in Week 0 - is being made with that postseason picture in mind.
As for the rivalry itself? Freeman’s confident it’ll be back.
This isn’t a breakup - it’s a pause. And when the time’s right, when the schedule makes sense, and when both programs are aligned, expect the Irish and Trojans to pick up right where they left off - with all the intensity, history, and stakes that make this one of college football’s most iconic matchups.
Until then, Freeman’s focus is clear: build a Playoff-worthy résumé, control what he can control, and make sure Notre Dame is in position to leave no doubt when the committee makes its picks.