One of college football’s most storied rivalries is set to pause indefinitely after Notre Dame and USC were unable to finalize a new agreement to continue their annual series.
The Fighting Irish and Trojans still had one remaining game scheduled a matchup at USC during the 2026 season but that contest has now been canceled. Notre Dame announced on Monday that it has instead arranged a home-and-home series with BYU in 2026 and 2027, filling the slot traditionally reserved for USC.
In a joint statement released Monday afternoon, both schools emphasized the importance of the rivalry and expressed optimism about a future return. USC and Notre Dame said they remain committed to working toward reviving the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, calling it one of the premier rivalries in all of sports.
Outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and a three-year interruption during World War II, the teams had met every year since 1926. Notre Dame currently leads the all-time series 51-37-5.
According to a source familiar with the talks, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua and USC AD Jen Cohen held last-minute discussions Monday morning in an effort to extend the series, but no agreement was reached. Cohen previously noted that major changes in college football including conference realignment, increased cross-country travel in the Big Ten, and uncertainty surrounding College Football Playoff access and seeding have complicated long-term scheduling decisions.
USC floated the idea of playing the rivalry earlier in the season at a neutral site, but the proposal failed to gain traction. The Trojans were also wary of overloading their schedule, having already faced both Notre Dame and LSU in 2024 while navigating a nine-game Big Ten slate.
Traditionally, the game has been played midseason in South Bend and as the regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The rivalry has featured 36 matchups with both teams ranked a total surpassed only by Ohio State–Michigan and Texas–Oklahoma.
With USC off the schedule, Notre Dame pivoted to BYU, a recent Big 12 runner-up and College Football Playoff contender. The Irish have won five of seven all-time meetings with the Cougars, most recently facing them in Las Vegas in 2022. The new series begins in Provo in 2026 and concludes in South Bend in 2027.
Looking ahead, Notre Dame also has future home-and-home series lined up with several major programs, including Auburn, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Alabama and a long-term agreement with Clemson.
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