Report: Notre Dame, USC discussing renewing rivalry

Though it might not happen until the 2030 season, Notre Dame and Southern California are engaging in talks to renew their longstanding football rivalry, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

In December, the announcement came that the Fighting Irish and Trojans would not square off in 2026, at least temporarily ending a rivalry that began in 1925.

Per the report, person familiar with the talks said they were optimistic the schools would come to an agreement.

Notre Dame is open to the possibility of playing USC earlier in the season, the Times reported, which was one of the hold-ups in nailing down a date this coming season. USC wanted to move up the date in line with the rest of its nonconference schedule, while Notre Dame was seeking a long-term deal to keep the game in the late-season slot where it has always been.

At the end of the 2025 season, it appeared the schools were nearing an agreement, with USC seemingly willing to keep the matchup in its late-season slot over the next two seasons. But USC was unaware that Notre Dame had negotiated an agreement with the College Football Playoff that it would be guaranteed a berth in the playoffs if it made the top 12 of the final rankings, according to the Times.

As a result, USC pulled its offer, though athletic director Jennifer Cohen in December countered with one last offer. Notre Dame turned it down and announced a new home-and-home series with BYU to replace USC.

"The fact is very, very clear, and this can all be settled very quickly -- had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing them the next two years and looking ahead after that and hopefully continuing the series," USC coach Lincoln Riley after a bowl game loss in December. "They did not follow through on it. Thus, we are not playing them the next couple years."

--Field Level Media