At a Glance
- Lincoln Riley blames Notre Dame for pausing the 100\u2011year rivalry.
- Notre Dame will play BYU in 2026\u201127 instead of USC.
- The series record is 51-37-5, with Notre Dame winning eight of the last ten games.
- Why it matters: USC fans miss a historic matchup, and the pause could affect future scheduling.
The long\u2011standing rivalry between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Southern California has been put on hold, with USC coach Lincoln Riley holding Notre Dame responsible for the break.
Riley\u2019s Accusations
During a joint press conference in San Antonio, Riley said the decision to pause the series was Notre Dame\u2019s fault. He emphasized that Notre Dame had promised to play USC anytime, anywhere, but the proposal was rejected.
Lincoln Riley stated:
> “We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us anytime, anywhere. That proposal was rejected. Not only was it rejected, but five minutes after we got the call, it was announced they scheduled another opponent, which I’ll give them credit, that might be the fastest scheduling act in college football history.”
He added that the move to schedule another opponent so quickly was unprecedented.
Lincoln Riley added:
> “We’re hopeful something can be worked out in the future. That would be fantastic. We at SC would love for the game to continue. We have no problem following through on our promises in the future.”
He also noted that Notre Dame failed to keep its word, which would have allowed the rivalry to continue for the next two years.
Lincoln Riley said:
> “I know college football has changed a lot, but the fact is very, very clear, this can all be settled very quickly. Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing in the next two years, and looking ahead after that, hopefully continuing the series. They did not follow through on it, thus we are not playing them the next couple years.”
Series History
The rivalry began in 1926 and has been played every year except during World\u2011War\u2011II (1943\u201145) and the COVID\u2011-19 pandemic in 2020. Notre Dame leads the series 51-37-5, and has won eight of the last ten matchups.
| Team | Wins | Losses | Ties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame | 51 | 37 | 5 |
| USC | 37 | 51 | 5 |
The most recent contest on Oct. D18 saw Notre Dame defeat the then–No. 20 Trojans 34-24.
Future Outlook
Notre Dame announced on Dec. 21 that it will play BYU in 2026 and 2027 instead of USC. In a joint statement on Dec. 22, Notre Dame and USC said they will continue working toward bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh and look forward to meeting again in the future.
Notre Dame and USC statement:
> “Our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”
The pause comes amid a broader reevaluation of non-conference games as teams aim for the NCAA 12-team playoff. Notre Dame finished the season 10-2 but did not make the playoffs and chose not to play in a bowl after the playoff field was announced.
Key Takeaways
- Riley holds Notre Dame responsible for the series pause.
- Notre Dame will replace USC with BYU in 2026\u201127.
- The rivalry record stands at 51-37-5, with Notre Dame winning eight of the last ten games.
With both programs expressing a desire to resume the matchup, the next chapter of the Notre Dame\u2011USC rivalry remains uncertain.
