The storied rivalry between the University of Southern California and the University of Notre Dame, once a staple of college football’s opening weekend, is set to make a comeback in 2030.
A revived classic
Under a new four‑game home‑and‑home agreement, the first clash will take place on August 31, 2030, at Notre Dame’s iconic stadium in South Bend, Indiana, before USC hosts the Fighting Irish in Los Angeles on August 30, 2031. The series will then resume in the opening weeks of the 2032 and 2033 seasons, each game scheduled for the first three weeks of the college football calendar.
The rivalry, which dates back to 1926, was last played in October 2025 when Notre Dame edged USC 34‑24 in South Bend. After a pause in December 2025 — when Notre Dame filled its 2026 slate with a trip to BYU — the two schools have now locked in a renewed commitment that reflects both tradition and the shifting landscape of conference realignment.
"This rivalry holds a special place in college football history," USC athletic director Jen Cohen said in a statement, underscoring the cultural significance of the matchups beyond mere win‑loss records.
The agreement comes at a time when USC has recently joined the Big Ten, a move that introduced new scheduling complexities. Conference affiliations now dictate travel patterns and broadcast windows, making the careful planning of a cross‑country series all the more noteworthy.
Beyond the gridiron, the contests carry symbolic weight: the Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy, introduced in 1952, will be on the line, with each victory marked by a green‑jeweled shamrock for Notre Dame or a ruby‑jeweled Trojan head for USC. The matchups also highlight the broader narrative of college athletics, where historic rivalries coexist with modern conference dynamics.