The greatest intersectional rivalry in college sports recently received the twice-over, thanks to one of its own.
USC coach Lincoln Riley was the first to address the unthinkable. When asked about the future of the Trojansβ storied series with Notre Dame, Riley told reporters at Big Ten football media days, βThereβs been a lot of teams that sacrifice rivalry games.β
A week later, athletic director Jen Cohen appeared to walk back Rileyβs comments β but not all the way. βThings are changing,β Cohen told ESPN710, βbut tradition is part of doing whatβs best, too. So weβre going to do our best to honor that and evolve in this space.β
What in the name of Anthony Davis and the Bush Push is going on?
Would USC actually end a series that has spanned 98 years, featured 14 Heisman Trophy winners and generated countless memories?
In this Oct. 27, 1973, file photo, Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian is hoisted up by players after their 23-14 win over Southern California in a college football game in South Bend, Indiana. Three field goals by Bob Thomas, an 85-yard touchdown run by Eric Penick and stingy run defense helped Notre Dame end Southern Californiaβs winning streak at 23 games.
A series responsible for a significant portion of USCβs media value and national exposure?
A series that delights so many donors and season-ticket holders?
In this Nov. 21, 1931, file photo, Southern California plays Notre Dame in an NCAA college football game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Southern California scored all of its points in the final quarter, capped by a 33-yard field goal by Johnny Baker with 1 minute left, to give them a 16-14 win for their first victory in South Bend.
In an era when USC shares a conference with Wisconsin and schools share revenue with athletes, anything is possible β even the end of a rivalry at the heart of the sport.
The issue stands front and center today as the Trojans prepare for their inaugural year in the Big Ten with a head coach under pressure to produce and a schedule waiting to pounce.
In addition to facing Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Washington, the Trojans open the season with LSU in Las Vegas and close with the Irish in the Coliseum.
Thatβs like the trash compactor scene in Star Wars, with the walls closing in and the monster under the surface.
By any measure, USCβs schedule is one of the most difficult in the land.
Fortunately for the Trojans, they wonβt have to decide whether to extend the Notre Dame series once the current contract expires following the 2025 season. The College Football Playoff selection committee will make that determination for them.
Not directly, of course β the committee has no authority over scheduling.
In this Nov. 28, 1964, file photo, Southern California head coach John McKay, center, is carried off the field by players after their 20-17 win over Notre Dame in an NCAA college football game in Los Angeles. Southern California rallied from a 17-0 halftime deficit, culminating with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Craig Fertig to Rod Sherman with 1:33 left.
But it stands as judge and jury over the process that identifies the seven at-large teams and the 12 seeds for the expanded event beginning this season.
Anyone with input into non-conference schedules across the Power Four β namely, head coaches and athletic directors β will be watching the committee, hoping for clues, desperate for guidance.
Over 10 years of the original CFP format, the committee never invited a two-loss team. Will it continue to lean into overall record?
Or will the committee place more emphasis on strength of schedule (SOS) than it has in the past β not only with the teams it selects but also with the way it seeds?
Will the committee pick three-loss teams over two-loss teams? Will it seed two-loss teams ahead of one-loss teams?
For the good of the sport, we hope SOS isnβt MIA from the process.
The committee should make it clear to the Trojans, Irish and everyone else that it looks kindly on non-conference schedules that feature at least one A-level matchup.
In this Oct. 27, 1973, file photo, Notre Dameβs Greg Collins, bottom right, tries to make the tackle as Southern Californiaβs Anthony Davis reaches for a 4-yard gain during the first quarter of their NCAA college football game in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dameβs Tim Rudnick (7), Gary Potempa (40), Ross Browner (89) and Mike Fanning (88) help on the play. Three field goals by Bob Thomas, an 85-yard touchdown run by Eric Penick and stingy run defense helped Notre Dame end Southern Californiaβs winning streak at 23 games with a 23-14 victory.
Itβs worth noting that Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will chair the committee in 2024 β his Wolverines host Texas on Sept. 7 in one of the most anticipated games of the season.
Ideally, Manuel and Co. will show a distinct preference for the A-B-C approach to non-conference scheduling, by which teams play one Power Four opponent, plus one each from the Group of Five and FCS.
Heck, even an A-C-C format would be tolerable in the sportβs new era.
The marquee matchups drive eyeballs and drama in the first half of September, before conference play ramps up, and help identify the conference hierarchy.
They carry significant media value, as well.
Itβs difficult to imagine that NBC, which co-owns the rights to the Big Ten (along with Fox and CBS) and is the exclusive home for Notre Dame home games, would take a favorable view of USC ending its series with the Irish.
Then again, if the committee shoves schedule strength to the back burner and leans into overall record for the seeding and at-large selection process, the Trojans would be wholly justified in reassessing the viability of the Notre Dame series.
In this Nov. 27, 1927, file photo, Southern Californiaβs Morley Drury carries the ball against Notre Dame during an NCAA college football game at Soldier Field in Chicago. Notre Dame won 7-6 after a controversial call when an official ruled an apparent safety for Southern California was an incomplete pass.
Why would Michigan agree to another series with Texas?
Why would Alabama and Ohio State stick to their planned series in 2027-28?
Qualifying for the expanded CFP must be the priority.
βAs we get into this playoff structure and if it changes or not,β Riley said at the Big Ten media event, βweβre going to learn some about this as we go and what the right and best track is to winning a national championship.β
The future of non-conference scheduling across the Power Four hinges on the committeeβs message.
Letβs hope it sends the right one.
Relive USC and Notre Dame's star-studded 2005 classic, highlighted by the iconic "Bush Push" play to end the game. (NBC Sports YouTube)
In this Nov. 30, 1996, file photo, Southern Californiaβs Travis Claridge, left, and Mike Bastianelli, right, celebrate with Rodney Sermons (5) after Sermons scored the winning touchdown against Notre Dame in overtime of an NCAA college football game in Los Angeles. Sermons caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brad Otton to give Southern California the 27-20 victory.
In this Nov. 26, 1988, file photo, Notre Dame cornerback Todd Lyght (1) breaks up a pass intended for Southern Californiaβs Erik Affholter, right, during the first quarter of their NCAA college football game in Los Angeles. A 65-yard touchdown run by Notre Dameβs Tony Rice, two touchdowns scored on short runs by tailback Mark Green and four turnovers for Southern California helped Notre Dame to a 27-10 win.
In this Nov. 30, 1974, file photo, Southern California's Anthony Davis breaks away from a tackle attempt by Notre Dame defensive end Ernie Hughes (95) as he runs 102 yards for a touchdown during the second half of their NCAA college football game in Los Angeles. Notre Dame's Tony Zappala (39) trails the play as Southern California's Clay Matthews follows. Davis ignited a 35-point third quarter and Southern California won 55-24, scoring all of its points in 17 minutes.
