Notre Dame, USC Discuss Resuming Football Rivalry

Notre Dame and the University of Southern California have entered active discussions to resume their historic college football rivalry, which was set aside for at least 2026 and 2027 after negotiations stalled last December. The schools, which have met nearly every year since 1926 except during the 2020 pandemic season and World War II, may not face off again until the 2030 season due to existing scheduling commitments.

A person familiar with the discussions said the talks are progressing optimistically, with Notre Dame now open to playing the game earlier in the season. That flexibility addresses a key dispute from prior negotiations. USC sought to shift the matchup to the nonconference portion of its schedule to accommodate its nine-game Big Ten slate after joining the conference. Notre Dame had preferred the traditional late-season timing, typically the second or third Saturday in October in South Bend, Indiana, or the Saturday after Thanksgiving in Los Angeles.

Negotiations appeared close to resolution at the end of the 2025 season, when USC indicated willingness to maintain the late-season slot for the next two years. However, USC officials learned of an agreement Notre...