The 2026 college football season is rapidly approaching, and thanks mostly to the depth and quality of the top conferences, there’s plenty of fascinating matchups between big teams. But where this season might lag behind others is the number of high-level non-conference matchups.
Yes, there are a few, like Ohio State-Texas, Oklahoma-Michigan, and Clemson-LSU early in the season, but with the expanded playoff and conferences, there’s less incentive than in years past to schedule tough non-conference opponents.
And perhaps the biggest casualty of that change in philosophy is the long-standing rivalry game between the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
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The “greatest intersectional rivalry in college sports,” as it’s traditionally been known, has been played 96 times over 100 years, with a few pauses for World War II and the COVID-19 lockdowns. It’s always one of the most anticipated games of the season for fans of both teams, and even neutral fans who enjoy seeing the classic stadiums and uniforms, as well as the national relevance it frequently has.
But the battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh won’t take place in 2026 after negotiations between the two sides fell apart. Much of the blame was initially placed on USC head coach Lincoln Riley, but several other statements from the Notre Dame side of the aisle have received increased coverage in the aftermath. And during Big Ten media week, Riley once again hinted that the Irish did not live up to their promises or statements.
Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sept. 13, 2025. (Marc Lebryk/Imagn Images)
“Nothing’s changed from my vantage point. We want to play the game. I want to play the game. We would be playing the game had some things come true that were said. And so hopefully we get to that point,” Riley said in his news conference.
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What was said exactly? Well, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said in 2025 that he didn’t care “when” the game took place, he would play SC anytime, anywhere.
“It’s pretty black and white for me,” Freeman said, per Blueandgold.com. “You want my opinion? I want to play them every single year. When? I don’t care. I don’t care when we play them. Start of the season, middle of the season, end of the season — I don’t care. I want to play USC every year because it’s great for college football.”
Much of the disagreement between SC and Notre Dame came because the Trojans wanted to move the game to Week 0 instead of its usual placement toward the end of the season. It makes no difference to the Irish, who enjoy the advantages of avoiding conference play and a conference championship game, but it heavily impacted USC’s schedule in away seasons. Not to mention that the Trojans were the only Big Ten team playing a non-conference game late in the year. Freeman said he’d play the game at any point in the season. So…good to go, right?
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Not exactly.
The Irish refused to move the game, and Freeman went back on his original statement without any real explanation.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the USC Trojans looks on during the first quarter of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Alamodome on December 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images). Head coach Marcus Freeman during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in South Bend. (MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images, MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK)
“You know, I don’t listen to a lot of noise. Look, I’ve said this before: That rivalry’s important for college football, and I’m confident that with Ron Powlus and Pete Bevacqua we’ll get that rivalry back,” he said. “You know me, I’m a competitive individual, and I wanna go and go play anytime, anywhere. But at the same token, it’s important that I make decisions too that are best for the program. And to move a game that we were pretty sure was gonna be Week 12 to Week Zero isn’t what’s best.”
But there was no follow up to ask Freeman why, exactly, it isn’t what’s best. Again, what difference does it make to him or to the football team? “Anytime” means anytime…except for the first week of the year? Why does that matter?
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It’s also contradicted by what he said when he and his players decided not to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl because their feelings were hurt after missing out on the College Football Playoff.
It’s not the first time Freeman and the Irish contradicted themselves. When they were, unfairly, left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of an undeserving Alabama team, they declined the invitation to the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Then, in a bizarre video discussing it, Freeman said he was “proud” of his players for quitting instead of showing up. In the video, he says the decision wasn’t made out of anger or emotion, only for the first player in the clip to admit they made an emotional decision after the team “got the rug pulled out from under” them.
Riley’s comment is accurate because it’s clear that Notre Dame had its own reasons for wanting the game canceled. They don’t want to risk the possibility of a loss, particularly on the road, when they are now guaranteed a spot in the playoff by finishing in the top-12 in the selection committee poll. Yes, the Irish have dominated the series of late, but USC, with its NIL finally at the level of its peers, just brought in the number one recruiting class in the country. A road game at the Coliseum against a top 15-20 opponent is far from a guaranteed win. And with win-loss records still paramount, the Irish are set up to coast into the playoff this year thanks to their extremely easy schedule.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reacts on the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stanford, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
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Time of year didn’t matter, math did. If the rivalry does get back on the schedule in coming seasons, it’ll be fascinating to see what week it’s in. Or whether Freeman will ask his players to participate in bowl games even if their feelings are hurt.
