For nearly a century, Notre Dame and USC have met on the football field in one of college football’s most iconic rivalries. But after the 2025 season, that annual clash could be on life support—at least from USC’s perspective.
While the Trojans weigh the demands of their Big Ten schedule and playoff ambitions, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is making it clear where he stands: he wants this rivalry to last forever.
Freeman Wants USC Game to Stay—No Matter When It’s Played
When asked recently about the future of the Notre Dame vs. USC series, Freeman didn’t mince words. “If it was up to me, we would play them every single year for the rest of college football time,” he said. “It’s pretty black-and-white for me.”
Freeman, now entering his fourth season with the Irish, has already had his fair share of battles with USC, going 2-1 against Lincoln Riley. Most recently, Notre Dame put up back-to-back double-digit wins, including a 49-35 road win at the Coliseum. That kind of tradition, Freeman believes, should be preserved—not just for Notre Dame’s sake, but for the good of the sport as a whole.
“It’s great for college football,” Freeman emphasized. “Before I even got to Notre Dame, everybody watched that game. Everybody remembers moments from that game that just stick out in your mind.”
Freeman isn’t picky about when the game happens, either. Whether it’s in September, October, or November, he’s ready to keep it on the calendar. That said, he also knows he’s not the one pulling the scheduling strings. “I’m not the one dealing with the administration part of scheduling games,” he acknowledged. “But I think it’s important that we continue this rivalry.”
Meanwhile, USC head coach Lincoln Riley and athletic director Jennifer Cohen have been less enthusiastic. Riley has previously hinted at stepping away from the annual showdown, citing USC’s move to the Big Ten and the challenge of navigating a tougher conference slate while also trying to secure a College Football Playoff berth, which is a weak argument.
In fact, USC already dropped future non-conference matchups with LSU and Ole Miss, and the rumors are now swirling that Notre Dame could be next.
It’s worth noting that the Trojans’ scheduling decisions are starting to raise eyebrows. Critics have accused Riley of trying to soften USC’s non-conference load—perhaps to pad win totals in a cutthroat Big Ten environment. Notre Dame, by contrast, continues to schedule aggressively and is openly embracing the challenge.
For now, Notre Dame and USC are still scheduled to meet on October 18, 2025. And if things don’t change behind the scenes, that could be the final regularly scheduled edition of this storied rivalry.