"It's ridiculous": Analyst rips Lincoln Riley's dismissal of USC-Notre Dame rivalry

USC head coach Lincoln Riley does not appear to care too much about the USC-Notre Dame rivalry. While the rivalry game has taken place nearly every year since 1926, Riley does not seem to think it would be that big a deal if it ceased. On Thursday, he appeared on the "Always College Football Podcast" and spoke to Greg McElroy about the topic.

"It was more of a regional game," Riley said. "You had regional matchups. I mean, that's what we all grew up and we loved and were passionate about it. And I think it's okay to still hang on to some of those. I think we all – even though this is our jobs – there's still the fan in us, right? There's still the purists in us that love that part of college football.

"It really doesn't [concern me]. If you love college football, then are you going to scroll on your TV past USC-Ohio State? No, no, you're not."

These comments from Lincoln Riley drew a negative reaction in some corners of the college football community. Notably, CFB analyst Petros Papadakis called Riley out in an appearance on Fox Sports radio on Friday morning.

"That's kind of the beauty of USC-Notre Dame is that it transcends conference realignment," Papadakis said. "It transcends the NIL and it transcends all these twists and turns in the sport. If it could survive world wars, it should be able to survive the selfish and the absolute myopic nature of the era we live in."

"It's ridiculous to think that it wouldn't. Because Lincoln Riley doesn't like it? Who the hell is Lincoln Riley?"

Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans only have one more game scheduled against Notre Dame on the current contract

Part of the reason Lincoln Riley's comments regarding the USC-Notre Dame rivalry have been so divisive is because of the timing. The matchup in the upcoming season is the last game on the current contract between the two schools. According to a report from SI, USC only offered Notre Dame a one-year extension to play in Los Angeles in 2026.

Conversely, according to the report, Notre Dame is interested in signing a longer-term deal for the rivalry to continue. USC has been reluctant to sign a long-term deal because of the uncertainty of the college football playoff format. Fans will be watching in the coming months to see if the heated USC-Notre Dame rivalry continues beyond next season.