While the Trojans hold the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for the 2026 cycle, their rivals from South Bend are not that far behind

On Monday, Scott Dochterman of The Athletic released his ranking of the top 100 rivalries in college football. Both of the Trojans’ two biggest rivalries made the top 15—USC-Notre Dame was ranked No. 5, and USC-UCLA fell at No. 15.

Two Notre Dame rivalries have been nominated among the top 25 in college football in a list produced by The Athletic. They are, unsurprisingly, the matchups against USC and Michigan. Notre Dame faces USC just about every season, with last year's meeting in Los Angeles going to the Fighting Irish, 49-35.