Looks like the end for the intersectional matchup, and why not?

ND makes money off the series. ND's recruiting benefits from the series.

USC gets a jeweled stick if it wins. 🤪 A B1G SC does not need another trip east every other season.

SC offered to compromise and continue the series if the game was played earlier in the year at a neutral site. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is what SC offered as a neutral venue.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/breaking-news/article/sources-notre-dame-usc-rivalry-series-ending-next-year-as-irish-finalize-2-year-deal-with-byu-165245493.html

SC wants to play the game in September, not middle/late in the Big Ten portion of the schedule.

Notre Dame wants to play it late in the season because most years USC will be ranked, and Notre Dame wants a ranked game on the resume late in the season as the CFP seeds are being announced. This year, after Sep. 13, they had two ranked games: USC and Pitt. With a partial ACC schedule, they are nervous about not having a ranked opponent late. They saw what happened to Miami when the last half of the Hurricanes schedule became weak.

They both simply have different scheduling needs. Neither wants to compromise.

I don’t care much about Notre Dame or USC, but I do hate to see traditional rivalry games come to an end.

4 hours ago, HDuck said:

SC wants to play the game in September, not middle/late in the Big Ten portion of the schedule.

Notre Dame wants to play it late in the season because most years USC will be ranked, and Notre Dame wants a ranked game on the resume late in the season as the CFP seeds are being announced. This year, after Sep. 13, they had two ranked games: USC and Pitt. With a partial ACC schedule, they are nervous about not having a ranked opponent late. They saw what happened to Miami when the last half of the Hurricanes schedule became weak.

They both simply have different scheduling needs. Neither wants to compromise.

The biggest issue and ridiculous problem is that ND automatically gets into the CFP if they only have 2 losses and are ranked in the top 12 starting next season. Seeing that they don't play anyone, they would be a bid stealer. For example, ND would not have been left out this year. The Committee ranked them 10th.

Why on Earth would USC help ND by improving their strength of schedule- which might be crucial to being in the top 12 with 2 losses? What if ND already had two losses and played USC, who is trying to be ranked in the top 10, and ND takes away SC's spot at that 10th spot? No thanks. ND can play nobody and hopefully not get ranked highly, especially if they lose one or two games.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by 2002duck