The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finish September at 3-0 and are firmly in control of their own destiny in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Photo via Michael Caterina-Imagn Images This week, the Irish face in-state rival Purdue. Last season’s game was a turning point for Notre Dame. Starting 0-2 and with many questioning the new defense under then-new Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash, the Irish were in a shootout with Purdue 28-16 when a nearly two-hour weather delay came abou

The rivalry started in 1927. It was born out of the fact that Notre Dame, at the time an all-boys college, had many students fighting in World War II. The Navy used the campus as a training ground that provided enough money for the institution to stay afloat. Because of this, Notre Dame has played Navy yearly out of gratitude; it was played annually from 1927 to 2019, making it the longest uninterrupted intersectional rivalry. That was until the COVID Pandemic ended the strea

In an article released on Monday, December 22, Ross Dellenger reported that USC and Notre Dame officials failed to reach an agreement to extend their historic rivalry. The 2026 matchup would have been the 97th meeting in the series, one that has spanned nearly a century. The only times the two programs did not play were during a three-year hiatus in World War II and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo via USC Athletics Everyone’s Biggest Question: Why? When USC decide

Many were hopeful that USC and Notre Dame would be able to reach a mutually agreeable solution to continue their storied rivalry prior to the 2026 season. Unfortunately, talks have broken down, with a disagreement on when the game was to be played at the forefront of the conversation. Now, the Irish have added BYU, a formidable BIG 12 title contender, in place of the Trojans. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics There had been plenty of rumblings surrounding this rivalry game and it