Potential College Football Playoff Expansion Could Revive USC-Notre Dame Rivalry

With the playoff potentially expanding to 12 or even 24 teams, the historic rivalry between the Trojans and Fighting Irish could return to the schedule.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish have not been scheduled to play each other in 2026, but with rumblings of the College Football Playoff expanding from 4 teams to 12 or even 24, the historic rivalry between the two programs could be revived. The expansion would provide more room for error for teams to make the playoff, potentially making USC more willing to schedule Notre Dame annually despite their recent dominance over the Trojans.

Why it matters

The USC-Notre Dame rivalry is one of the most storied in college football, dating back to 1926. However, conference realignment and the current 4-team playoff format have made it difficult for the two programs to schedule each other regularly. An expanded playoff could change that dynamic and bring back this marquee matchup.

The details

With the Big Ten reportedly exploring a 24-team playoff format, the breakdown of teams from each conference could look like: SEC (7 teams), Big Ten (6 teams), Big 12 (5 teams), ACC (3 teams), and 3 spots for the Group of Six/Independent teams. This expanded field would provide more opportunities for teams like USC to make the playoff, even with a loss to a strong opponent like Notre Dame.

  • The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are not scheduled to play each other in 2026.
  • ESPN's Pete Thamel revealed an internal Big Ten document that outlined a proposal for a 24-team College Football playoff in February 2026.

The players

Lincoln Riley

The head coach of the USC Trojans, entering his fifth year with a 10-year, $110 million contract that indicates the program's expectation to be in the College Football Playoff.

Marcus Freeman

The head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who have won the past three meetings against USC in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

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What they’re saying

“NEW: An internal Big Ten document explores a 24-team College Football Playoff. It offers a peek at what that model could look like, as another off-season of CFP discussion is set to unfold.”

— Pete Thamel, ESPN Reporter (Twitter)

What’s next

If the College Football Playoff does expand to 12 or 24 teams, it will be interesting to see how that impacts the scheduling of high-profile non-conference matchups like the USC-Notre Dame rivalry.

The takeaway

An expanded College Football Playoff could provide the flexibility for historic rivalries like USC-Notre Dame to be renewed on a more consistent basis, giving fans of the sport more opportunities to enjoy these marquee matchups.