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Newsstand: USC coach Lincoln Riley declines to comment on continuing rivalry with Notre Dame

IMG_9992by: Tyler Horka06/05/25tbhorka
USC HC Lincoln Riley, Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman
USC HC Lincoln Riley (left) and Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman (right). (Kirby Lee | Imagn Images)

A week ago, Marcus Freeman didn’t shy away from sharing how he feels about the future of the USC vs. Notre Dame rivalry. He told local reporters in South Bend his exact sentiments in great detail.

“It’s pretty black and white for me,” Freeman said. “You want my opinion? I want to play them every single year. When? I don’t care. I don’t care when we play them. Start of the season, middle of the season, end of the season — I don’t care. I want to play USC every year because it’s great for college football.”

On3’s Pete Nakos recently gave USC coach Lincoln Riley the opportunity to take the bait. He didn’t do it.

Not even close.

“We will at the appropriate time,” Riley said on commenting on the future of the rivalry.

The Irish and Trojans have met on the football field 95 times in the last century with the only breaks being during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. Their rivalry is among the best in college football for the longevity and back-and-forth blows they’ve delivered to each other over the decades.

Freeman doesn’t want to see that slip away because of a contract that expires after this year’s matchup and has not yet been extended.

“Everyone remembers moments from that game that just stick out in my mind,” Freeman said. “[Notre Dame director of athletics] Pete [Bevacqua], or [deputy director of athletics] Ron [Powlus] or anybody asks me, that’s how I feel. Everybody knows that’s how I feel. But also, I’m not the one dealing with the administrative part of scheduling games. But I think it’s important we continue this rivalry.”

Riley just doesn’t want to comment on it.

In a span of a week, the two sides have tipped their hands.

Notre Dame tweets of the day

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“I wasn’t going in expecting the world, but they definitely showed me the world. I could say that. Everything was nice. There were a bunch of alumni there for the fantasy football camp. They showed a bunch of love. I got to talk to and meet some of them. Connecting with them was a good time.”

— Class of 2026 defensive line recruit Alister Vallejo on his visit to Notre Dame

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