Colin Cowherd, never one to hide his USC allegiances, couldn't contain his glee this week after reports surfaced that the Trojans and Notre Dame are talking about reviving their long-standing rivalry. But the talk-show host didn't just celebrate—he declared victory for his team, claiming the Fighting Irish came begging for a second chance.
On Tuesday's episode of his show, Cowherd went all in, stating that Notre Dame “came crawling back” to USC after earlier indications that the historic series might be shelved. According to Cowherd, USC holds all the cards now.
“USC and Notre Dame are talking again, because Notre Dame came crawling back,” Cowherd said. “USC has all the leverage. USC is in the toughest football conference. Money is rolling at USC. They don’t need another cold-weather game in October sandwiched between the Buckeyes and the Hoosier games. They don’t need it.”
He went on to argue that Notre Dame needs the matchup far more, pointing to the shifting landscape of college football. “Notre Dame needs it because Notre Dame has discovered, as the Big Ten has added Oregon, Washington, USC, and as the SEC has added Texas and Oklahoma, they have become super conferences. And now, because of NIL, even Vanderbilt and Indiana are good. So nobody wants to play Notre Dame.”
Not surprisingly, Notre Dame fans were quick to fire back. They didn't appreciate Cowherd's implication that their program is desperate for anyone, let alone a bitter rival they've dominated recently—USC is just 3-15 against Notre Dame over the last 15 years.
“Yea the news of the 24 team playoff has no factor here… or the rumblings that the SC alumni is PISSED at Riley and co for cancelling this game. Or the fact southern cal is 3-15 against ND in the last 15 years. But keep lying to everyone Trojan boy,” one fan posted.
Others were even more blunt. “More PR spin from usc’s mouthpiece. Stick to the NFL, Colin. You don’t like anything that makes college football college football,” wrote one critic. Another chimed in with, “I wonder when USC called Coward to make this prewritten segment.”
Beyond the fan squabbles, there's a bigger question: Is the report even accurate? Despite talk of discussions, no games are scheduled for 2026 or 2027, and time is running short to fill those slots. The uncertainty leaves the future of one of college football's most storied rivalries very much up in the air.
As the debate rages, it's worth noting that Notre Dame's upcoming streaming-only game shows how the program is adapting to the new media landscape. Meanwhile, head coach Marcus Freeman's recent NFL flirtation added another layer of intrigue to the Irish's offseason.
For now, the only thing certain is that the rivalry talk has everyone fired up—and that Cowherd's hot take has given Notre Dame fans plenty of fuel for their fire.
