The rivalry between Notre Dame and USC in college football has suddenly hit pause. That’s stirred up a whole lot of debate and finger-pointing from both schools.
Each side has its own take on why this iconic matchup is on hiatus. FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt jumped into the conversation, offering his take on how college football scheduling has gotten a lot more complicated lately.
Klatt thinks the shifting landscape of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and conference realignments have made it less appealing for Big Ten or SEC teams to schedule games against Notre Dame. It’s just not the same calculation as it used to be.
The Changing Dynamics of College Football Scheduling
With the CFP system evolving, teams are rethinking how they schedule games to boost their playoff chances. Klatt says facing Notre Dame just doesn’t help Big Ten or SEC teams anymore.
Notre Dame now has an agreement to get an automatic CFP bid if it finishes in the top 12. That’s a pretty big leg up compared to what teams in crowded conferences have to deal with.
Notre Dame’s Competitive Edge
Klatt points out that Notre Dame’s schedule is usually a bit lighter than what Big Ten or SEC teams face. That makes it easier for them to finish in the top 12.
He’s not alone in thinking the system favors Notre Dame. SEC teams have been left out of the CFP with 9-3 records, while Notre Dame could sneak in with a similar—or even slightly worse—season.
The Fallout Between Notre Dame and USC
This break in the annual rivalry hasn’t exactly been smooth. Both schools are blaming each other for calling it off.
USC’s athletic director Jen Cohen and head coach Lincoln Riley say they wanted to keep the series going, maybe with some tweaks. But Notre Dame shot down the idea and instead lined up a game with BYU.
USC’s Perspective
From USC’s point of view, the pause actually makes sense. They’re about to take on nine Big Ten games each season, so stacking on a tough Notre Dame matchup would make things brutal.
Klatt gets it—USC has to protect its own interests in a world where the competition just keeps ramping up.
The Historical Significance of the Rivalry
This rivalry goes all the way back to 1926. It’s one of the oldest and most famous matchups in the sport.
The game’s only been skipped three times during World War II and once in the COVID-affected 2020 season. Ending the series in 2026 is a big break from tradition, and fans aren’t thrilled about it.
The Call for Notre Dame to Join a Conference
Klatt’s been saying for a while that Notre Dame should join a conference. He figures it would make things fairer and probably better for college football overall.
Joining a conference could wipe out some of the advantages Notre Dame enjoys now and even the playing field.
Looking Ahead
College football’s landscape isn’t done shifting. Decisions like this one between Notre Dame and USC will have ripple effects for years.
Maybe Notre Dame joins a conference someday, maybe not. Either way, the sport’s changing, and teams have to keep up or risk falling behind.
The Notre Dame-USC rivalry’s hiatus says a lot about the bigger shifts happening in college football right now.
Joel Klatt has a few thoughts on why Big Ten and SEC teams might be wary of scheduling games with Notre Dame.
If you want to dig deeper, check out the full article on FOX Sports.
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