Notre Dame — with 96-game rivalry series vs. USC now on pause — announces home-and-home with BYU

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CHICAGO — Notre Dame football announced a home-and-home series with BYU over the next two seasons after pausing its longtime rivalry series with USC on Monday.

The Irish will travel to Provo, Utah, in 2026 and then will host the Cougars in 2027.

That announcement came in the wake of Notre Dame failing to come to an agreement with USC to extend its annual series. Yahoo Sports reported the schools had been close to finalizing an agreement in which USC would have hosted Notre Dame the weekend after Thanksgiving next season, but USC officials didn’t think such a game date was ideal for College Football Playoff consideration. The schools also reportedly discussed playing in Week 0.

Notre Dame and USC have played 96 times, including Oct. 18 when the Irish beat the Trojans 34-24 behind Jeremiyah Love’s 228 rushing yards. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and USC coach Lincoln Riley both said then they were hopeful the series would be extended.

The schools issued a joint statement Monday.

“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football, and our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh,” the statement said. “The rivalry between our two schools is one of the best in all of sport, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”

Notre Dame (10-2 this season) and BYU (11-2) have played nine times, with the Irish holding a 7-2 advantage in the series. They last met in 2022 in the Shamrock Series in Las Vegas. The teams, which were the first two left out of the CFP this season, likely would have played each other in the Pop-Tarts Bowl this month had Notre Dame not opted out of a bowl game.

Notre Dame players made the controversial decision to opt out after not making the CFP because several individuals wouldn’t have played in the game as they prepared for the NFL draft. BYU will play Georgia Tech instead.

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