One of college football’s most iconic rivalries is hitting pause - at least for now. The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, two blueblood programs with a century of shared history, won’t be facing off in the immediate future. And while that news didn’t sit well with everyone, including some Trojan legends, there’s a deeper strategy at play that’s worth unpacking.
Former USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson made his frustration known, but fellow Trojan great Matt Leinart - a Heisman winner and national champion - took a more measured stance. Leinart backed his alma mater’s decision, suggesting that while the move may sting in the short term, it could be part of a bigger picture.
“Call me lame 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,” Leinart posted on social media. “Texas and A&M played forever and then they didn’t.
Same with Utah and BYU. It was a bummer but the world didn’t end.
Here’s hoping this is a momentary pause just like those. Fight on and Merry Christmas.”
That’s a fair point. College football has seen its share of historic rivalries put on ice due to conference realignment, scheduling conflicts, or broader strategic shifts.
And while fans understandably crave tradition - especially one as storied as USC-Notre Dame - the game is evolving. Programs are making decisions with the long game in mind.
Both schools released a joint statement just before Christmas, acknowledging the weight of the decision and the legacy behind it.
"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 statement read. “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."
There’s no sugarcoating it: this is a significant pause. The series, which Notre Dame currently leads 53-37-5, has been a fixture of the college football calendar for decades.
From Heisman moments to national title implications, USC vs. Notre Dame has delivered some of the sport’s most memorable Saturdays.
Whether this is a temporary break or a longer-term shift remains to be seen. But the hope - shared by fans, players, and administrators alike - is that this won’t be the end of the story. Rivalries like this don’t just disappear; they hibernate, waiting for the right moment to reignite.
In the meantime, both programs are charting different postseason paths. USC is set to face TCU in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday, while Notre Dame chose to sit out bowl season after being left out of the College Football Playoff.
No doubt, the Trojans and Irish will continue to shape the college football landscape in their own ways. But for now, the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh goes back on the shelf - a reminder of what was, and what we all hope will be again.