A new chapter in a historic rivalry
Notre Dame and USC announced a four‑game home‑and‑home football series that will commence in the 2030 season. The opening contest is set for August 31, 2030, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, followed by a September 30, 2031 showdown at Notre Dame’s campus in South Bend, Indiana. The subsequent meetings will take place during the opening three weeks of the 2032 and 2033 seasons, ensuring a staggered yet regular cadence for the renewed rivalry.
The rivalry dates back to 1926, when the two schools first met on the gridiron. Over the ensuing decades they contested 98 games, with Notre Dame holding a 53‑38‑5 edge. The series was a staple of the college football calendar from 1946 through 2025, barring the war‑era hiatus between 1943 and 1945 and a pandemic‑induced cancellation in 2020. Their most recent encounter on October 18, 2024, saw the Fighting Irish defeat the Trojans 34‑24 in South Bend.
The agreement was reached after USC’s move to the Big Ten in 2024 complicated scheduling, and after Notre Dame filled its 2026 slot with a game at BYU, prompting a pause in December 2024. USC athletic director Jen Cohen later emphasized that the revived series holds a special place in college football history and allows the program to schedule competitively within the conference while safeguarding student‑athlete health.
The Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy
The contest is symbolized by the Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy, introduced in 1952 and presented by the Notre Dame Club of Los Angeles. Victories by Notre Dame are marked with green‑jeweled shamrocks, while USC wins are commemorated with ruby‑jeweled Trojan heads. Beyond the trophy, the two institutions together boast 22 national championships and 15 Heisman Trophy recipients, underscoring the competition’s place in the broader narrative of college athletics.
Fans and analysts alike anticipate that the renewed series will add fresh storylines to the already rich tapestry of West Coast college football, blending tradition with the evolving demands of conference play and athlete welfare.