Notre Dame–USC football rivalry

The Notre Dame–USC football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team of the University of Notre Dame and USC Trojans football team of the University of Southern California, customarily played on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day when the game is in Los Angeles and on the second or third Saturday of October when the game is in Notre Dame, Indiana. The rivalry began in 1926 and is considered one of the fiercest in college football. The game has been played every year from 1926 to the present with the exception of 1943 to 1945 when the game was cancelled during World War II and in 2020 when the Pac-12 Conference cancelled all non-conference games in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic therefore interrupted a streak of 73 consecutive years in which the game had been played. The 2021 matchup marked the first time in series history that two consecutive games between the rivals were played in Indiana, although the games were not played in consecutive years. Notre Dame and USC have been among the most successful programs in college football, with the schools having won a combined 24 national championships and 15 Heisman Trophies (8 for USC—the most in college football—and 7 for Notre Dame) through the 2023 season. Moreover, both schools have fielded a significant number of Consensus All-Americans (102 for Notre Dame—the most in college football—and 82 for USC), College Football Hall of Famers (46 from Notre Dame and 43 from USC) and Pro Football Hall of Famers (13 from each). The rivals account for the highest numbers of players selected in the NFL draft of any school; Notre Dame has had 546 players taken, and USC has had 530. No rivalry in college football accounts for as many combined honors. The teams play for the Jeweled Shillelagh, a trophy that goes to the winning team each year. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 51–37–5 and also leads 36–30–3 since the introduction of the trophy. Despite many close games, the series has had dominant runs by both sides: USC went 12–2–2 from 1967 through 1982, Notre Dame went 11–0–1 from 1983 through 1995, and USC went 8–0 from 2002 through 2009. From 2010 to 2025, Notre Dame has gone 11-4 on the field, although 2 Irish wins in 2012 and 2013 against USC and USC's 2005 win over Notre Dame were vacated for NCAA rules violations. However, while Notre Dame and USC have played in landmark games enabling one of them to move on to a national title, the two teams have also played spoiler to each other several times. A No. 1 undefeated Notre Dame beat No. 2 undefeated USC in the Coliseum en route to the national title in 1988. The Irish also spoiled Trojan title campaigns by handing them their first loss in the last game of the season in 1947 and 1952, as well as beating them in 1927, 1973 and 1995. The Irish also tied No. 1 ranked USC in 1968 21–21, knocking them down to No. 2 behind Ohio State, who then beat USC in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the Rose Bowl). The Irish tied the Trojans again in 1969 14–14, the only blemish in USC's 10–0–1 season. USC spoiled Irish title hopes in 1938, 1964, 1970, 1980 and tied them in 1948 after Michigan already had been voted No. 1 by the AP Poll. Each game came in the final week of the season. USC also spoiled Irish campaigns in 1931 and 1971. Although the game is played in Los Angeles in even numbered years, it was not part of Fox's Pac-12 Conference football package. Currently the games played in Los Angeles fall under the TV contract of the Big Ten Conference and could air on CBS, NBC, FS1, Peacock or BTN. Although Fox Sports holds primary TV rights to the Big Ten Conference, it does not have the opportunity to air this game since Fox has chosen to air the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry game usually played on the same date instead. In odd-numbered years when the game is played in Indiana, it is broadcast on NBC as part of its coverage of Notre Dame's home schedule.