One of college football’s most historic rivalries will be paused after the schools didn’t come to an agreement to extend the series.
According to a statement issued by USC and Notre Dame, the long-time rivals will not play in 2026, with the Fighting Irish instead beginning a home-and-home series against Big XII runner-up BYU next season.
“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football, and our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh,” Notre Dame and USC said in a joint statement Monday. “The rivalry between our two schools is one of the best in all of sport, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”
Notre Dame and USC have played each other 96 times, and with the exception of a COVID-shortened season in 2020 they have played every year since the end of World War II.
The Fighting Irish have won seven of eight games in the rivalry, including a 34-24 decision in South Bend earlier this year.
Instead, Notre Dame will head to Provo to take on BYU during the 2026 season, with the date yet to be announced. The Cougars will make a return trip to South Bend in the 2027 season, the latest in a high-profile string of home-and-home matchups the Irish have agreed to.
Notre Dame has announced home-and-home series against Texas beginning in 2028, Alabama beginning in 2029, and against Indiana beginning in 2030. They also have Florida and Michigan on their schedule beyond those dates.
In addition to the BYU game next year, the Fighting Irish will take on Wisconsin at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and Navy at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium. They also will have home games against SMU and Miami, among other schools.
The loss of the Notre Dame rivalry will require USC to find a 12th opponent for the 2026 season, as their non-conference schedule now just includes Fresno State, who is moving into the Pac-12, and Louisiana.
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