Lincoln Riley has had a reputation for running from competition, going back to when he left Oklahoma for USC. The Sooners had just announced they were leaving the Big 12 and were headed to the SEC. This was seen as Riley wanting to be in an easier conference like the Pac-12 and not wanting to compete against the SEC teams.
Those allegations were given more credibility when Riley tried to get SEC schools off USC’s schedule. He canceled a home-and-home originally scheduled against Ole Miss and attempted to escape the season-opening game against LSU. Now, Riley has his sights set on getting USC out of another tough opponent and one of USC’s biggest rivals: the University of Notre Dame.
During Big 10 Media Day, Riley made some interesting comments about the future of the two schools playing each other. Although it appeared Riley liked the rivalry and understood its importance, he’s also given himself an out.
“I know it means a lot to a lot of people. The purist in you, no doubt. Now if you get in a position where you get in a position where you got to make a decision on what’s best for SC to help us win a national championship versus keeping that, shoot, then you got to look at it”.
If playing Notre Dame prevents USC from making the playoffs, then they’ll have to explore ending the rivalry. However, this doesn’t make any sense and will not happen if the Irish have anything to say about it.
Committed to the Rivalry
Although Lincoln Riley has expressed interest in potentially ending the rivalry, the Irish do not share that sentiment. In fact, new Notre Dame athletic director Ken Bevacqua reaffirmed the school’s commitment to keeping it going.
“We have every intention in the world and every desire to keep that USC-Notre Dame game going for as long as it possibly can”
The statement shows Bevacqua’s willingness and desire to maintain one of the great rivalries in college football. Despite all the changes in college football, some things should stay the same. Just because USC might be in a new conference doesn’t mean they should end a timeless tradition and stop playing one of their biggest rivals.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has followed Notre Dame football over the years, but if there is one thing the Irish have wanted, it’s to keep their traditions alive. They still view themselves as a one-of-a-kind brand. What makes it such a unique brand is its traditions and rivalries; ending them would take away from that uniqueness.
Enhancing the Schedule
If Notre Dame’s commitment wasn’t enough to convince you, then let’s look at why Lincoln Riley’s reason for ending it makes no sense. He says if Notre Dame prevents them from making the playoffs, they would have to see if it’s worth keeping the series going. In other words, if playing Notre Dame doesn’t help them or makes their schedule look weak, then they’ll look to stop playing. These claims make no sense, though.
A win against Notre Dame holds a lot of weight in the college football world. Thanks to the program’s history and success, beating the Irish is a big deal. And it’s not like the reputation has taken a fall over the years. The last time Notre Dame finished a season unranked was 2016. They have also made a bowl in the past seven seasons, and with high-ranking recruiting classes, it’s fair to assume a similar level of success will continue.
If USC takes Notre Dame off its schedule, it would be a bad look for the college. It would be seen as trying to make an easier schedule, which will be a knock when it’s time to choose playoff teams.
Brian Germinaro covers college football for Belly Up Sports. Follow him on Twitter/X for more football content. Featured image credit: Michael Hickey
