This week marks Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, but the real story is elsewhere. Lincoln Riley, head coach of the USC Trojans, is calling for a showdown with Notre Dame.
USC and Notre Dame have a storied rivalry that has been on hold for a year, with no meeting between the two teams scheduled for the upcoming season. Riley wants that to change, and he made his feelings clear on Tuesday during his first press conference of the 2026 season.
"We want to play the game," Riley said. "I want to play the game. We would be playing the game had some things come true that were said." It's a sentiment that's likely to resonate with fans of both teams, who are eagerly awaiting the resumption of their rivalry.
The USC-Notre Dame game has been a highlight of the college football calendar for decades, and its absence this fall will be felt. This season will mark just the second time in the past 80 years that the two teams won't meet on the field, joining only the 2020 COVID season.
Riley's comments suggest that he's optimistic about the prospects of the two teams facing off again soon. "Hopefully I'm up here next year talking about that game here on the future schedule," he said. With the Big Ten Media Days taking place this week, it's likely that the topic of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry will come up again in the coming days.
The lack of a matchup between USC and Notre Dame has been a disappointment for fans, but it's not entirely surprising. The two teams have a long history of competing for the top spot in college football, and their rivalry has been one of the most enduring and exciting in the sport.
Riley's comments suggest that he's committed to making the USC-Notre Dame game a priority, and it's likely that he'll continue to push for a resumption of the rivalry in the coming months. With the Big Ten Media Days underway, it's clear that the topic of the USC-Notre Dame game is far from over.
Source: Yahoo Sports