Notre Dame-BYU series puts USC rivalry on pause

Notre Dame and BYU, the top two at-large teams left out of this year's College Football Playoff field, have agreed to a home-and-home series beginning next season, which marks a halt in the Fighting Irish's longtime annual series with rival USC for the foreseeable future.

The 2026 game in Provo, Utah, is expected to fill the final spot on Notre Dame's schedule, as the other 11 games have been announced. Both Notre Dame and USC have said they want to continue the cherished rivalry, which began in 1926, but USC has expressed concern about the timing of the game, wanting it to be early in the season, when most Power 4 teams play marquee nonconference games.

The USC-Notre Dame game in South Bend, Indiana, typically takes place in October, while the matchup in Los Angeles ends the regular season.

"I think we'll do a short-term extension, and then quite frankly, there might be a gap or two in that series and then pick it back up," Bevacqua told "The Echoes" podcast earlier this month. "I can certainly speak for Notre Dame, and I can pretty much speak for USC. Both schools want to keep this going. They have to be obviously very aware of our schedule. We have to be aware of their schedule. We both have to be aware of the new reality in college football, but I've had great conversations with [USC athletic director] Jen Cohen. We're both committed, and Notre Dame and USC are both committed to getting something done."

The Fighting Irish finished No. 11 in the final CFP standings despite 10 consecutive double-digit wins to close the season, while BYU finished at No. 12 after an 11-1 regular season and a loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game. The dates for the 2026 and 2027 game (at Notre Dame) will be announced later.

The teams last met in 2022, as part of a Shamrock Series matchup in Las Vegas, and have played nine times with Notre Dame holding a 7-2 edge in the series.