When Matt Leinart speaks on USC football, it’s coming from a place of legacy. A Heisman winner, national champion, and one of the most iconic Trojans of the modern era, Leinart has every reason to feel deeply connected to the program. So when he chimed in on the recently announced end of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry-at least for now-it wasn’t exactly shocking to see him back his alma mater.
But his reasoning? That’s where things get a little shaky.
In defending USC amid the news that the long-standing rivalry with Notre Dame is coming to a halt, Leinart leaned on the Trojans’ historical pedigree. Specifically, he pointed to USC’s record number of Heisman Trophy winners and 11 national championships as proof that the program knows what it’s doing.
“Call me lame,” Leinart said in a post on social media, “but I'm going to trust a school that's produced more Heisman winners than anyone else in history and 11 National Championships to do what's right for the program.”
Now, there’s no denying USC’s place in college football history. The Trojans have been a powerhouse for decades, producing some of the sport’s most legendary players and unforgettable moments.
But bringing up past glory in the context of a present-day scheduling decision? That’s where the logic starts to unravel.
One fan put it into perspective with a sharp analogy: “The Dallas Cowboys have won five Super Bowls, but none since 1995... Is it possible that organizations change over time and not always for the better?”
It’s a fair point. Just because a program-or a franchise-has a rich history doesn’t mean every decision it makes today is above criticism.
USC hasn’t won a national title since 2004, and while the program has had moments of resurgence, it’s been a rollercoaster ride in the years since. The same can be said of Notre Dame.
Both schools are navigating a new era of college football, and sometimes that means making tough scheduling decisions that aren’t popular with fans or alumni.
The end of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry, at least temporarily, wasn’t a one-sided decision. Both programs played a role in stepping away.
It’s not about one coach ducking the other or one school backing down. Lincoln Riley and Marcus Freeman are both leading programs that are trying to balance tradition with the demands of a rapidly evolving sport-conference realignment, expanded playoffs, and increasingly complex scheduling logistics.
Leinart did get one thing right: this is a loss for college football fans. USC-Notre Dame is one of the sport’s most storied rivalries, packed with history, emotion, and national implications. Seeing it disappear, even for a few years, is a blow to the soul of the game.
But it’s not the end. There’s already talk of the rivalry resuming in 2030, similar to how Texas and Texas A&M are set to renew their own historic matchup after a decade apart. College football is cyclical like that-traditions may pause, but they rarely vanish forever.
So while Leinart’s loyalty to USC is understandable-and admirable-leaning solely on past accolades to justify present-day decisions misses the bigger picture. Programs evolve.
Decisions are made in real time, under real constraints. And sometimes, even the most iconic rivalries need to hit pause.
It’s a bummer, no doubt. But it’s not the final chapter.