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USC Coach Riley Slams Notre Dame Over Rivalry Pause
30 Dec, 2025
Summary
- USC coach Lincoln Riley blamed Notre Dame for pausing the near century-old rivalry series.
- Notre Dame scheduled a series with BYU shortly after rejecting USC's request.
- The historic rivalry has been played 96 times since its inception in 1926.
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley has expressed strong disappointment over the pause in the nearly 100-year-old rivalry series with Notre Dame. Riley asserted that Notre Dame is responsible for the discontinuation, stating the Irish rejected a proposal to play anytime, anywhere. He noted that minutes after USC's offer was rejected, Notre Dame announced a new series with BYU for 2026 and 2027.
The historic matchup between USC and Notre Dame has been a staple of college football since 1926, with 96 games played. Exceptions were made during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Notre Dame currently leads the series 51-37-5, having won eight of the last ten contests.
Riley, who took over at USC in late 2021, emphasized his respect for the rivalry and his desire to participate in it. He expressed hope for a future resolution, stating USC would gladly continue the series. The recent game on October 18 saw Notre Dame defeat USC 34-24. Both institutions released a joint statement on December 22, indicating a desire to bring back 'The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh' in the future.
