After more than a year of back-and-forth squabbling, Notre Dame-USC, often called college football’s greatest intersectional rivalry, came off the books. The announcement seemingly spelled doom for an uninterrupted rivalry with the Trojans, and sparked claims from USC fans that Notre Dame didn’t prioritize the contest. However, Notre Dame was unable to provide the requisite opening early in the 2026 and 2027 seasons, as games with Wisconsin and Purdue had already been scheduled. Notre Dame controlled the series in the 1980s, including in 1988, when No. Riley, whose program replaced the rivalry this fall with a Week 0 contest against San Jose State, continued to shift blame for the hiatus to Notre Dame.