Thu Jan 01 23:30:00 UTC 2026: News Article:

Riley Accuses Notre Dame of Breaking Pledge, Blames Irish for Series Hiatus

SAN ANTONIO, TX – USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley is pointing the finger at Notre Dame for the upcoming hiatus in the historic USC-Notre Dame football rivalry. Speaking ahead of the Valero Alamo Bowl, Riley stated that Notre Dame failed to honor its commitment to play the Trojans “anytime, anywhere,” after USC proposed continuing the series in 2026 and 2027.

According to Riley, USC Athletic Director Jen Cohen presented a proposal earlier this month, which Notre Dame quickly rejected. “We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us anytime and anywhere,” Riley said. “That proposal was rejected. Not only was it rejected, five minutes after we got the call, it was announced that they had scheduled another opponent [BYU].” He contrasted this rapid scheduling with the months USC had spent trying to find a way to continue the rivalry.

The root of the scheduling conflict appears to be USC’s desire to play non-conference games early in the season, a preference shared by most Big Ten teams. The USC-Notre Dame game has traditionally been played in late October or at the end of the regular season.

Notre Dame’s scheduling of a home-and-home series with BYU for 2026 and 2027 seemingly solidified the break. Both universities have issued statements indicating a desire to resume the rivalry, but a return is unlikely before 2030.

Riley acknowledged Notre Dame’s scheduling flexibility as an independent, while USC, as a Big Ten member, faces more stringent scheduling demands. Cohen previously emphasized USC’s need to prioritize the College Football Playoff, noting that USC is the only Big Ten school to play a non-conference opponent after Week 4 in the past two seasons.

“Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing in the next two years,” Riley stated, expressing hope that a future agreement can be reached to revive the storied rivalry. “We at USC would love for the game to continue, and we have no problem following through on our promises in the future.”

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