"These are tail wagging the dog problems": CFB insider gets blunt on new USC-Notre Dame rivalry game debate for 2025

Rivalries like USC vs. Notre Dame have been a staple of college football for decades. Next season, the teams will play again on Oct. 18, but that will be the last game scheduled under the current contract between the two schools.

On Wednesday, ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel appeared on the "College GameDay Podcast" to discuss the state of the USC vs. Notre Dame rivalry. He was asked about the possibility of moving the game early in the season to accommodate travel and weather.

"Yeah, I get that. I mean, look, USC will only play Notre Dame earlier in the year because of the weather," Wetzel said (Timestamp 18:35). "They don't want to play late November. Then when the game's in LA, it's the last game of the season. So, that's always been an interesting quirk to this. I'm not so hung up on when I think there's certain games you can move them.

"Yeah, I would prefer Ohio State-Michigan always be the last game. But I also understand the argument of, what if you go in and these are two teams that are going to play the following week for the Big 10 championship game? These are these tail-wagging-the-dog problems I'd rather just get rid of. There's no lack of excitement about third Saturday of October, something like that."

Wetzel continued the discussion about when the rivalry game should be.

"I would be fine earlier in the season, whether it's opening the season," Wetzel said. "If that's what it has to take, that's what it has to take. You can't just sit there and say this is how we've done it for 100 years, nothing changes."

USC is hesitant to commit long-term to annual rivalry games with Notre Dame

Under the current contractual agreement between the Trojans and Fighting Irish, the rivals will play next season, but nothing is scheduled beyond that. Contract talks are ongoing between the two schools. Notre Dame has shown interest in a long-term commitment.

However, USC has expressed concerns about committing to the rivalry long-term. Coach Lincoln Riley has cited changes to the college football playoff format as a reason why it might not make sense for the Trojans to play the Fighting Irish every year.

The reason this is an issue for USC and not Notre Dame is that the Trojans need to worry about Big Ten seeding. Since the Fighting Irish do not play in a conference, they do not need to worry about that.