The end of an era is upon us-at least for now. One of college football’s most storied rivalries, Notre Dame vs.
USC, is hitting pause after nearly eight decades of annual clashes. And if you ask Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, the blame sits squarely on Notre Dame’s shoulders.
Speaking at the Alamo Bowl press conference, Riley didn’t mince words. “Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we’d be playing them the next two years,” he said. According to Riley, the Fighting Irish backed out of a previous agreement, leaving USC without a viable path to continue the series in the near term.
Let’s be clear-this isn’t just any rivalry. Notre Dame and USC have faced off every season since 1946, with only the 2020 pandemic year breaking the streak.
That’s nearly 80 years of tradition, Heisman moments, and national title implications. The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh has been a fixture of fall Saturdays, a coast-to-coast clash that transcends time zones and conference lines.
So what happened?
It all comes down to scheduling-and the ever-evolving landscape of the College Football Playoff. According to reports, USC was initially willing to play the 2026 game in November.
But once the Trojans got wind of Notre Dame’s memorandum of understanding with the CFP, things changed. That MOU reportedly gives the Irish a built-in advantage: if they’re ranked in the top 12, they’re essentially guaranteed a playoff spot as an at-large selection.
That detail matters. A late-season loss to Notre Dame could seriously hurt USC’s playoff chances.
So the Trojans pushed to move the game to Week Zero, a strategic shift aimed at minimizing risk in the eyes of the selection committee. Notre Dame didn’t budge, and the talks broke down.
Instead, the Irish have already filled that slot in their future schedule. They’ll face BYU in a home-and-home series in 2026 and 2027, effectively replacing USC in those years. Meanwhile, the Trojans are still looking for a new opponent to fill the void.
Despite the impasse, both programs issued a joint statement earlier this month, acknowledging the rivalry’s importance and expressing hope for a future renewal.
“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football,” the statement read. “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.”
But for now, the Irish are moving forward with a 2026 schedule that looks far more manageable without USC on it. Notre Dame will play just three true road games-North Carolina, Syracuse, and Purdue-and two neutral-site matchups against Wisconsin and Navy.
Of those five, only Navy was bowl-eligible this season. And Notre Dame has dominated that series lately, winning eight straight, including six by 20 points or more.
Looking ahead, only BYU and Miami-both of whom finished the 2025 season ranked-pose a real threat on Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule. That’s a favorable slate for a program with playoff aspirations, especially without the annual heavyweight bout against USC looming in November.
Before the 2025 season kicked off, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua made it clear where the school stood on the rivalry. “I think Southern Cal and Notre Dame should play every year for as long as college football is played,” he said. “And SC knows that’s how we feel.”
But feelings and tradition don’t always win out in today’s college football landscape. With playoff positioning now a year-round consideration, even the most iconic rivalries can fall victim to the numbers game.
For now, the Jeweled Shillelagh goes back on the shelf. Whether it stays there long-term or makes a triumphant return in the years ahead remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain: Saturdays in the fall won’t feel quite the same without Notre Dame and USC squaring off.