USC vs Notre Dame: Rivalry History and 2024 Score

Few college football rivalries pack the weight of history and the sting of realignment quite like USC vs Notre Dame. The 2024 meeting ended with the Fighting Irish routing the Trojans 49–35, a result that underscored the program gap in the College Football Playoff era. This article digs into the rivalry’s past, the 2024 game’s implications, and what the future holds for a series that may go dark after 2026.

Series record (Notre Dame leads): 53–37–5 ·
Last meeting (2024): Notre Dame 49, USC 35 ·
Years contested: 1926–2026 (with interruptions) ·
NCAA championships claimed by USC: 11 ·
NCAA championships claimed by Notre Dame: 13

Five key facts capture the rivalry’s arc:

The implication: Notre Dame’s historical dominance, especially during the 1980s, sets a backdrop that still shapes perception today.

Who Will Win Notre Dame vs. USC?

Current season team performance comparison

Notre Dame entered the 2024 contest at 11–1, while USC finished the regular season 6–6 after the 49–35 loss (FOX Sports box score). The Irish subsequently advanced to the College Football Playoff championship game before falling to Ohio State 34–23 (Wikipedia). Both teams feature strong defenses and run games, but Notre Dame’s 2024 consistency gave it a clear edge.

Key player matchups and injuries

In the 2024 game, Notre Dame’s offense scored 49 points, the most allowed by USC all season. The Trojans struggled to contain the Irish ground attack, which averaged over 5 yards per carry. No major injuries were reported from that contest (CBS Sports).

Historical trends in the rivalry

Notre Dame has won 11 of the last 15 meetings. The series has been lopsided in favor of the Irish since 1983, when they began an 11-game winning streak (Wikipedia). The pattern: when both teams are evenly matched, home-field advantage often decides the outcome.

Why Is Notre Dame Ranked Higher Than USC?

AP Top 25 poll analysis

Throughout the 2024 season, Notre Dame was ranked inside the top 10, while USC fell out of the rankings after a 6–6 finish. The AP poll reflected the 11–1 record against a schedule that included wins over ranked opponents (FOX Sports).

Strength of schedule and head-to-head result

The head-to-head result in 2024 is the clearest indicator: Notre Dame beat USC 49–35. The Irish also played a tougher schedule, facing multiple top-25 teams, while USC’s Pac-12 slate was weaker (Wikipedia).

Playoff committee criteria

The College Football Playoff selection committee prioritizes wins over quality opponents and conference championships. Notre Dame’s 11–1 regular season and appearance in the national title game demonstrate why it was ranked higher throughout the season (Wikipedia).

What this means: USC’s path to a higher ranking runs through a stronger non-conference schedule and a win over the Irish.

What Did Pete Carroll Do at USC?

Carroll’s coaching tenure and records

Pete Carroll coached USC from 2001 to 2009, compiling an 83–18 record. He led the Trojans to BCS national championships in 2003 (AP) and 2004 (BCS) (Wikipedia). His tenure was the most successful in USC history since the 1970s.

NCAA sanctions under his leadership

In 2010, the NCAA imposed sanctions on USC for violations involving Reggie Bush, including a two-year postseason ban and scholarship reductions. Carroll was not personally sanctioned, but the program suffered reputational damage (Wikipedia).

His impact on USC’s program legacy

Carroll’s success elevated USC’s national profile, but the subsequent sanctions tarnished the era. The 2004 BCS title was vacated, though USC still claims the AP title. His departure to the NFL left a void the program has struggled to fill (USC Athletics).

Why Is the Notre Dame–USC Rivalry Ending?

Scheduling conflicts after conference realignment

USC’s move to the Big Ten in 2024 forced a re-evaluation of non-conference schedules. The two schools have not scheduled games beyond 2026, when the current contract expires (Wikipedia).

USC joining the Big Ten

The Trojans’ new conference commitments left little room for the annual rivalry game. The Big Ten now requires nine conference games, limiting non-conference flexibility (USC Athletics).

Reported potential revival discussions

As of May 2026, talks to restart the rivalry are reportedly underway. Both athletic directors have expressed interest in resuming the series, but no formal agreement exists (Wikipedia).

The catch: the rivalry’s future hinges on USC’s Big Ten schedule and Notre Dame’s independent status, making a full revival uncertain.

Why Was USC Stripped of the 2004 National Championship?

NCAA investigation into Reggie Bush

The NCAA found that Reggie Bush and his family received improper benefits while he played at USC. The investigation concluded that Bush was ineligible during the 2004 season (Wikipedia).

Vacated wins and records

As a result, USC vacated all wins from the 2004 season, including the BCS national championship. The AP title, awarded by a separate organization, was not vacated and remains part of USC’s history (Wikipedia).

Impact on USC’s history

The vacated title means USC officially counts 11 national championships, not 12. The loss of the BCS title still stings, especially in discussions with rival fans about historical greatness (USC Athletics).

For the Notre Dame–USC football rivalry history, the 2024 game was a clear turning point. The Jeweled Shillelagh trophy remains in South Bend, but the bigger question is whether the two schools will ever meet again as scheduled opponents. For USC, the path forward requires rebuilding a program that has not won a national title since 2004. For Notre Dame, the pressure is to sustain playoff contention without relying on the annual rivalry as a marquee win. The choice is clear: either the schools find a way to preserve one of college football’s best intersectional rivalries, or the sport loses a piece of its history.