Greg McElroy critiques uproar of USC-Notre Dame rivalry possibly being lost

Greg McElroy wants the USC–Notre Dame rivalry protected. But it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they halted the annual matchup.

News that the nearly century-long rivalry between the Trojans and Irish could be heading toward divorce made headlines last week. The rumors came as a shock to many, and McElroy understands why the news was met with a negative response — but believes the recent conference shakeup that reshaped college athletics has prepared fans for games like this to be thrown to the wayside.

“I’m amazed at how many people are losing their mind about the possibility of that game not being played,” McElroy said. “Where was the uproar last year when USC and Stanford didn’t play for the first time since 1905? I didn’t hear a lot of people making a ton of complaints about those teams not playing last year. I didn’t see people up in arms. By the way, that is the oldest rival that USC has. Notre Dame gets thrown in the mix and all of a sudden, oh my gosh. … I don’t love it, but I acknowledge that it’s the reality of doing business nowadays.”

The first matchup between USC and Notre Dame came in 1924, playing 95 times since that date. However, scheduling conflicts appear to be at the heart of the potential collapse. According to Pat Forde, he reported that USC offered a one-year extension to play the rivalry in Los Angeles in 2026 (2025’s matchup will be played in South Bend), while Notre Dame desires more of a long-term deal.

While McElroy is of the opinion that the game should continue to be scheduled, he’s also wanting to be realistic about the future of many of these longtime rivalry matchups in college football. Higher ups in both programs have expressed their desire to extend the series past the already scheduled 2025 matchup. While these negotiations are still ongoing, nothing is confirmed one way or another.

“We have to do everything in our power to try to protect the historical significance of some games,” McElroy continued. “But there are costs of doing business as well, and if you can’t protect those games, we just need to appreciate and focus on what we can enjoy, what we have. I talk to my kids about this all the time. Let’s not focus on what we don’t have. Let’s focus on what we have. If we focus and appreciate the things we have and the new things that might be coming as a result of what’s been put away, then I think we’ll be happier as fans.

“So while we might not get Notre Dame and USC on an annual basis, what we will get in the future are games between USC and Michigan. Games between USC and Penn State, like we had last year. Future games between USC and Ohio State, and several other matchups that have been created as a result of this new world that we’re living in.”

While it’s different from what fans are used to, McElroy is calling for them to embrace this new college football landscape. He believes that’s the appropriate way for fans to respond to the potential that the USC-Notre Dame will no longer be annual.