USC got the terms it wanted and will resume rivalry with Notre Dame in 2030

The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish have agreed to renew the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh starting in the 2030 season. The agreement holds a four-year lifespan, which will likely be renegotiated at some point to keep the series as a permanent staple.

Both schools agreed to a Week 1 matchup for the 2030 and 2031 seasons. The first year will be in Los Angeles, and the following year will be in South Bend. 2032 and 2033 will also feature the matchup, with Week 1, 2, or 3 designated as the playing window for those seasons.

This means that the break in the rivalry is no longer permanent and has officially been moved to a temporary status. The reality is that this rivalry renewal is so far down the road that both schools could look very different by the time the two take the field, but that won't stop fans on both sides from releasing a collective sigh of relief.

READ MORE: USC finds itself in a position of power as Notre Dame tries to come crawling back

USC and Notre Dame come to terms that put the rivalry back on the field where it belongs

Both programs and fans wanted this: Notre Dame benefits from having an elite opponent on their schedule, and USC benefits by keeping Notre Dame early in the season.

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Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley was clear about his message during Big Ten media days last week regarding his opinion on the rivalry, stating, "I want to play the game. We would be playing the game if some things came true that were said." That statement threw more gas on the fire of a conversation that was only a source of frustration and finger-pointing between the two schools. In reality, Riley probably knew that the end was near and that an agreement was all but certain not even a week later.

Riley has since added on a few more comments and one of them might be described as a little shade.

“We felt like the best thing for our program was to play this game early in the season. We're a part of a conference, we have a conference schedule to answer to. We don't make our own schedule," Riley added.

This rivalry is, without a doubt, one of the most sacred in college football. In the constantly changing landscape of the sport, it feels good for everyone to have some tradition brought back in.

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