Rivalries are part of what makes college football so enjoyable, and moving away from the proven recipe is bad for the sport. Over recent seasons, conference realignment has killed off rivalries that have been built up over decades, and it's partially made the sport worse. When college football is already losing key matchups, it's important not to further kill off big games.
USC and Notre Dame have faced off every season dating back to 1926, except for when the game wasn't played due to the COVID-19. This season, we once again won't see the rivalry as both sides couldn't agree on terms, and the sport is certainly worse for it.
USC's season opener proves rivalry cancelation was a major mistake
On Saturday Afternoon, USC kicked off its season against San Jose State, a game that was added to the schedule after the Trojans and Notre Dame couldn't agree on playing the series this season. Instead of the Coliseum being packed with fans for a big-time rivalry game, USC fans simply didn't show up for the matchup against San Jose State.
Coliseum looks about one-third full in the late August heat. pic.twitter.com/bJweCuT3Nh
— Ben Bolch (@calpostbbolch) August 29, 2026
Schools continue to avoid playing Power 4 opponents in non-conference play to try and avoid losses that can hurt their College Football Playoff resumé. While the decision is being made with the bigger picture in mind, fans continue to show that they don't have any desire to watch blowouts against far inferior opponents.
It's not a surprise to see the Coliseum this empty either, as all week ticket prices were going viral, and hitting as low as $6 to get in on Saturday, which still wasn't cheap enough to get fans into the building.
You can watch USC take on San Jose State in their season opener at the Coliseum at noon and the Angels take on the Phillies at the Big A tonight for $11 COMBINED on @TickPick.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 29, 2026
12 p.m. – San Jose State at USC: $6
7 p.m. – Phillies at Angels: $5 pic.twitter.com/6LuBsFgB2y
The good news is that Notre Dame and USC reached an agreement this offseason to bring the series back, which is great news for fans and the sport as a whole. The attendance at the USC game showed that there is little appetite for meaningless games, and if that trend continues across college football, eventually teams may realize that the best way to give fans what they want is to schedule more marquee non-conference games.
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