USC coach Lincoln Riley accuses Notre Dame of ending storied rivlary

USC Trojans head soccer coach Lincoln Riley is pointing fingers at South Bend, Indiana.

The soccer rivalry between USC and Notre Dame is without doubt one of the finest in sports activities, however it’s coming to an finish as each applications have been unable to succeed in an settlement on an extension by means of the 2026-2027 season.

Riley appeared earlier than the media earlier than his Trojans confronted TCU within the Valero Alamo Bowl, the place he did not thoughts taking a shot on the Preventing Irish.

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USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley appears on previous to a recreation in opposition to the UCLA Bruins on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Harry Hoe/Getty Photos)

“It is fairly easy. We each labored for months to discover a resolution,” Riley explains The New York Post. “Notre Dame has been very vocal about the truth that they’d play us anytime, wherever. Clearly, they aren’t affiliated with a convention, which permits them to be fairly versatile with their scheduling.

“We went again, Jen Cohen, our AD, went again to Notre Dame about just a few weeks in the past with a screenplay and a proposal that may prolong the collection for the following two years. That proposal was rejected.”

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Nevertheless, Riley wasn’t carried out but. He didn’t like that Notre Dame shortly discovered a brand new opponent after the rejection.

“Not solely was it rejected, however 5 minutes after we obtained the decision, it was introduced that they’d one other opponent scheduled, which I am certain they recognize. That might be the quickest scheduling transfer in school soccer historical past,” he stated.

The group Notre Dame went with as an alternative of USC was BYU, agreeing to a home-and-home collection as an alternative of going with their normal rival on the schedule.

In the meantime, USC remains to be attempting to determine who will fill their schedule.

Notre Dame Preventing Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts after an Irish landing in opposition to the Pittsburgh Panthers throughout the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium on November 15, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Photos)

Since 1926, the Trojans and Preventing Irish have butted heads on the courtroom, taking part in 96 occasions with solely 4 missed video games in that span.

And people missed matches? Three from 1943-45 resulting from World Battle II and one within the 2020 season as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

“We took Notre Dame at their phrase that they’d play us anytime, wherever,” Riley added. “If Notre Dame had made good on their phrase and performed us anytime, wherever, we’d be taking part in the following two years after which trying forward and hopefully persevering with the run.”

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As a substitute, the all-time collection for the 2 storied applications will stay at 51-37-5 in favor of the Preventing Irish.

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