The USC–Notre Dame series will not be played in 2026, temporarily halting one of college football’s most historic rivalries. However, the series is officially set to resume in 2030. The news emerged as one of the major discussions in college football on Monday, and sports media veteran Colin Cowherd weighed in on the decision.
Colin Cowherd Breaks Down the Power Shift Behind Renewed USC-Notre Dame Rivalry
The USC–Notre Dame series initially fell apart as USC questioned whether the late-season matchup hurt its prospects of qualifying for the College Football Playoff under its grueling Big Ten schedule. However, the standoff was resolved after both programs finalized a new four-year home-and-home agreement.
The deal revives the historic rivalry beginning in Week 1 of the 2030 season in Los Angeles, with the series featuring consecutive season openers.
USC Athletic Director Jen Cohen claims playing the rivalry early in the season is crucial because it better aligns with the demands of its Big Ten schedule. She also noted that the timing supports the health and overall well-being of the program’s student-athletes while allowing USC to build a more competitive schedule.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The Herd,” Cowherd analyzed the scheduling dynamics and power shift surrounding the rivalry as it returns from a four-year hiatus in 2030. He said Cohen and USC head coach Lincoln Riley insisted on playing Notre Dame on their terms.
“Jen Cohen, the athletic director at USC, told me, ‘We’re going to play again. We’re going to do it on our terms because USC, unlike Notre Dame, is tied to a conference schedule, a number-one conference schedule,” Cowherd said on the show.
The USC-Notre Dame rivalry dates back to 1926, and their most recent matchup came last season, where the Fighting Irish recorded a 34-24 win.
As an independent program, Notre Dame traditionally dictated scheduling terms. However, USC has now shifted the rivalry to the opening weeks of the season instead of the traditional late-season window preferred by the Fighting Irish.
That is why Cowherd jokingly compared the arrangement to deciding when in-laws are allowed to visit.
“I love when in-laws stop by, but I’m going to schedule the time because I have the best kitchen. So I’m going to schedule… You can’t just drop by. It’s like, ‘Notre Dame, we’re in a tougher conference. We’ll play you, but we’re gonna have a say when we play.’
“We’re gonna play in September, either place, your place or our place. But since we play in a better conference and we don’t get to manage our conference schedule like you do, we’re gonna dictate when the in-laws can come over,” Cowherd explained the whole scenario.
The return of the rivalry is also expected to reshape Notre Dame’s future schedule, as Indiana will no longer open the 2030 season against the Fighting Irish. USC will now take over that spot instead.
