On paper there might not be a better rivalry in college football than how Notre Dame and USC are supposed to be.
Notre Dame is located in the midwest, home to brutal winters, and a lifestyle that could be described as just about anything other than glamorous.
USC on the other hand is about as extravagant as college football living gets in the city of Los Angeles, even if they’re no longer the only football show in town after the NFL made its return there (sorry UCLA).
The two have met for nearly the entire last century with epic battles, 14 Heisman Trophy winners, over 20 national championships, countless legends and Hall of Famers, and history as deep as the New York City phone book.
It’s been since the late seventies though that this rivalry has featured both teams competing for national championships on a regular basis. Perhaps with relatively new coaching hires at both, that narrative will soon change.
Notre Dame coming into this year’s game with two losses while USC is unbeaten leaves some to be desired. Playing spoiler for USC’s perfect season and perhaps College Football Playoff hopes would be nice way to start to bounce back for Marcus Freeman and company, though.
It’s often described as “the best intersectional rivalry in college football” but if both could get their business in order simultaneously as was the case in the seventies, it’d be the best rivalry in college football.
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Notre Dame-USC: fun facts about epic rivalry
In the meantime, take a look back at some of the best photos of one of college football’s greatest rivalries through the years.