Since USC joined the Big Ten, there have been plenty of questions about whether its series with Notre Dame football will continue. While Trojans brass tend not to want to tell anyone they’re planning on ending it, their comments always come off that way.
That happened again earlier this week when USC AD Jennifer Cohen gave an interview with The Athletic. Cohen tried to talk around the issue, but made comments that were very similar to ones she made last year that indicate the Trojans are at least thinking about giving up on the long rivalry series.
When asked specifically about playing Notre Dame football every year, Cohen answered the right way: "It's such an important series to our fans and both universities. I've said this before and I'll say it again: In an ideal world, we're going to keep playing each other."
Notre Dame football rivalry with USC could come to an end
It’s what Cohen said next that seems to indicate she’s considering ending the series.
“With that being said, the landscape has changed dramatically. We’re now playing in a conference where we fly back and forth across the country every other week and the CFP expansion and how you get access to the CFP and how things are seeded and selected.”
“Those to me are important unanswered questions.”
Cohen added that USC and Notre Dame are constantly communicating about what’s best for everyone. Of course, it’s much better for the Irish than it is for the Trojans to keep the series going.
Notre Dame football needs USC on the schedule in order to boost its strength of schedule. The Trojans have a plenty tough schedule simply by going through the Big Ten. It’s for that reason that is sounds like Cohen and her people are considering ending things. And that end may come sooner than anyone expects.