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USC and Notre Dame’s historic football rivalry — a cornerstone of college football since 1926 — faces an uncertain future as conference realignment reshapes the sport’s landscape.
USC athletic director Jen Cohen raised eyebrows Wednesday when speaking to The Athletic’s Antonio Morales about the storied matchup’s future. While acknowledging the rivalry’s significance, Cohen’s comments suggested USC might be reconsidering its commitment to the annual game.
“It’s such an important series to our fans and both universities,” Cohen said. “In an ideal world, we’re going to keep playing each other.”
That’s where the enthusiasm seemed to end.
Cohen pointed to USC’s new reality in the Big Ten Conference, citing increased cross-country travel and College Football Playoff considerations as potential roadblocks. “The landscape has changed dramatically,” she explained. “We’re now flying back and forth across the country every other week.”
These concerns ring hollow considering USC voluntarily joined the Big Ten — a decision that helped precipitate the Pac-12’s collapse. The Trojans knew exactly what they were signing up for: regular trips to Midwest venues that have always been there.
Notre Dame’s South Bend campus sits just two hours from Purdue, where USC will play this fall. The Fighting Irish have dominated the rivalry recently, winning 11 of 14 matchups since 2014.
“We remain in conversations with Notre Dame about the series,” Cohen added. “We’re going to continue to evaluate what’s best for our student-athletes and our program.”
The rivalry has produced 24 national championships and 15 Heisman Trophy winners between the two programs. Abandoning it could actually hurt USC’s playoff chances, especially with the expanded CFP format on the horizon.
College football thrives on its traditions and historic matchups. This series has survived world wars, conference shifts, and nearly a century of changes in the sport. Its continuation matters not just to these programs, but to college football’s soul.
USC may be looking for a fresh start in the Big Ten, but erasing a 98-year-old rivalry isn’t the answer.
