Marcus Freeman gets 100% real about reviving "great rivalry" of Notre Dame after big win over USC

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman led the No. 11 Fighting Irish to a thrilling 34-24 win over the USC Trojans in Week 8 to keep their college football playoff dreams alive. The win came on the backdrop of the status of the rivalry game between Notre Dame and USC being discussed, with a new deal to extend the series in the works.

During Monday's segment of the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, Freeman addressed the possibility of Notre Dame's rivalry game against the Michigan Wolverines being revived and added to the Fighting Irish's annual schedule (2:03:45).

"Huge proponent," Marcus Freeman said. "I remember growing up and watching Michigan play Notre Dame. That is such a great rivalry and you talk about two iconic programs. I would love to see that happen in the future.

"I don't know if there are discussions, I don't know if it's on our future schedule. I think it might be on our schedule in 2030 or something like that. We have to get that back."

Notre Dame's independent status ensures that the Fighting Irish can dictate their strength of schedule every season, although they have a five-game-a-season agreement with the ACC. One of the constant games in Notre Dame's annual calendar is a clash against the Navy Midshipmen, a rivalry game that has run since 1927.

Marcus Freeman addresses Notre Dame's independent status

Marcus Freeman has repeatedly hailed Notre Dame's independent status and the scheduling flexibility that it allows the program. During Monday's segment of "Bussin' With The Boys," he discussed the conditions under which the Fighting Irish would join a conference in the future.

"The future of college athletics is always uncertain," Marcus Freeman said. "With private equity, with what's going to happen with these conferences, if there's a time that Notre Dame has to join a conference to ensure they can have the same opportunities to make the Playoff as everybody else, then I'm sure our administration would do it.

"Currently, the administration and myself and all of us feel confident that if we win the games we're supposed to win, we take care of the business we're supposed to take care of, we have just as good of a chance to make the playoffs as anybody else."

Despite the Notre Dame Fighting Irish being independent, they have a lucrative media rights deal with NBC worth $50 million annually, including one game per season shown on Peacock.