Faculty soccer has all the time been nice due to the rivalries. A few of them, like Michigan vs. Ohio State, date again to the early 1900s. The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn dates all the way in which again to 1893.
The rivalry between the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Preventing Irish will not be as heated as the 2 talked about above, however it’s simply as historic.
USC and Notre Dame have been in talks to schedule video games for 2026 and 2027, however, in line with Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, it is the Preventing Irish who’ve dropped the ball in relation to a continuation of this historic collection.
“We took Notre Dame at their phrase that they might play us anytime and anyplace,” Riley mentioned on Monday in a Valero Alamo Bowl information convention, per ESPN. “That proposal was rejected. Not solely was it rejected, 5 minutes after we acquired the decision, it was introduced that they’d scheduled one other opponent [BYU], which I will give them credit score. That could be the quickest scheduling act in school soccer historical past.”
It is a collection that began in 1926, and the 2 rivals have performed each season besides from 1943 to 1945 due to World Struggle II and in 2020 in response to COVID-19.
A worldwide struggle and a world pandemic have been beforehand the one two issues that would get in the way in which of this rivalry. Notre Dame’s 34-24 win this previous October will formally be the final recreation performed between these two powerhouse faculties for the foreseeable future, although.
Lincoln Riley blames Notre Dame for not scheduling USC in 2026 and 2027
The rationale? USC wished to play the sport earlier within the season relatively than having it break up their Huge Ten schedule afterward within the marketing campaign. USC was the one Huge Ten college to play a non-conference opponent after Week 4 over the previous two seasons, and the Trojans imagine that has created an obstacle for them because it pertains to the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
The Trojans wished to maintain taking part in Notre Dame, however they wished to do it throughout the non-conference portion of the schedule. That is apparently one thing Notre Dame wasn’t prepared to do, although. As Riley identified, Notre Dame added a home-and-home collection with BYU for 2026 and 2027, which successfully ends the Notre Dame-USC rivalry for not less than the subsequent two seasons.
It may proceed after 2027, however Riley, maybe understandably, was upset in regards to the interruption, and he blamed it fully on the Preventing Irish.
“Had Notre Dame lived as much as their phrase and performed us anytime, anyplace, we might be taking part in within the subsequent two years, and searching forward after that and hopefully, persevering with the collection,” Riley mentioned. “They didn’t observe by on it. Thus, we’re not taking part in them the subsequent couple years.”
Riley has identified that USC does not have the scheduling flexibility that Notre Dame has resulting from its ties to the Huge Ten. He does need to see the collection proceed, although. This, even supposing he is 0-2 within the rivalry as USC’s head coach.
“We at USC would love for the sport to proceed,” Riley mentioned, “and we’ve no drawback following by on our guarantees sooner or later.”
