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USC, Notre Dame Set 2030 Rivalry Return Dates

8/5/2026

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Summary

USC, Notre Dame Resume Rivalry

USC and Notre Dame announced on Aug 3, 2026 that their rivalry will resume in 2030, with games on Aug 31, 2030 in Los Angeles and Aug 30, 2031 in South Bend.
USC Director of Athletics Jen Cohen (AD) said the early-season slot helps schedule with Big Ten peers and protects student-athletes.
Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua called the series “great for Notre Dame, great for USC, and great for college football.”

Summary

Notre Dame Rivalry

The Shillelagh Trophy shows a green shamrock for Notre Dame wins and a ruby Trojan head for USC victories.
The rivalry began in 1926 when Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame team traveled by train to Los Angeles and won 13-12, producing more national championships, Heisman winners and NFL draft picks than any other college rivalry.
The series has reached 96 games, making it Notre Dame’s second-most-played rivalry after Navy’s 98-game series.

History

Historical Context

In 1926 Knute Rockne accepted USC’s invitation, creating a home-and-home series that gave independent Notre Dame lucrative Los Angeles trips while the Pacific Coast Conference’s USC sought a national opponent. After wartime and pandemic gaps, the rivalry will resume in 2030 through 2033, with ADs Jen Cohen and Pete Bevacqua aligning the games to Big Ten calendars and targeting about $45 million in annual TV revenue.

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USC, Notre Dame Resume Rivalry

USC and Notre Dame announced on Aug 3, 2026 that their rivalry will resume in 2030, with games on Aug 31, 2030 in Los Angeles and Aug 30, 2031 in South Bend.
USC Director of Athletics Jen Cohen (AD) said the early-season slot helps schedule with Big Ten peers and protects student-athletes.
Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua called the series “great for Notre Dame, great for USC, and great for college football.”

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