Notre Dame and USC Renew Jeweled Shillelagh Rivalry Starting 2030

Notre Dame and the University of Southern California announced a four-game home-and-home series that will resume in the 2030 season. The first matchup is scheduled for August 31, 2030 in Los Angeles, with the second game set for August 30, 2031 in South Bend. The 2032 and 2033 contests will also be played early in each season, within the first three weeks, though exact dates remain to be determined.

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The rivalry, first contested in 1926, had been played annually except for pauses during World War II (1943-45) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). After the 2025 meeting—won by Notre Dame 34-24—the series entered a hiatus when the schools could not agree on scheduling. USC’s move to the Big Ten in 2024 added conference-related travel constraints, prompting the Trojans to seek an early-season slot. Notre Dame’s non-conference commitments limited flexibility; the cancellation of Indiana’s home-and-home series with Notre Dame for the 2030-31 seasons opened a slot that the Trojans filled.

Notre Dame and USC agree to resume football rivalry with a 4-game series starting in 2030 ESPNWFLD - Fox 32 - Chicago

• All-time series record: most outlets list Notre Dame leading 53-38-5; one source records 51-37-5.

Notre Dame and USC will renew the rivalry in 2030

• The Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy, introduced in 1952, is awarded to the winner of each game.

Notre Dame and USC will renew the rivalry in 2030

• The two programs have combined for 22 national championships and 15 Heisman winners.

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• Notre Dame has won the last three meetings, including a double-digit victory in 2025.

Notre Dame and USC will renew the rivalry in 2030

USC head coach Lincoln Riley noted that the program’s “conference schedule” limits its ability to choose kickoff times and that playing the game early “makes sense for our program.”

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• “I think 'anywhere, anytime' can be taken out of context,” — Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame athletic director

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• “We're part of a conference. You know, we have a conference schedule to answer them to. We don't choose our own kickoff times,” — Lincoln Riley, USC head coach

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Sources differ on the exact all-time series tally: most cite a 53-38-5 advantage for Notre Dame, while one outlet reports 51-37-5. The precise weeks for the 2032-33 games have not been disclosed.

Notre Dame and USC will renew the rivalry in 2030

• 2024 – USC joins the Big Ten, creating new scheduling constraints.

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• 2025 – Notre Dame defeats USC 34-24; series enters hiatus.

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• July 28, 2026 – USC head coach Lincoln Riley discusses the rivalry at Big Ten Media Days.

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• August 31, 2030 – First renewed game scheduled in Los Angeles.

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• August 30, 2031 – Second renewed game scheduled in South Bend.

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The renewal restores one of college football’s most storied intersectional rivalries, aligning both programs’ competitive and logistical priorities while preserving a historic tradition for fans.

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