Rivalry games outside of conferences are something that should never go away in college football. Some of the greatest rivalries in the sport come from teams that aren't even in the same conference, like Florida and Florida State, Clemson and South Carolina, and, of course, Notre Dame and USC.
College football fans thought they would be without that last rivalry for quite some time, as last season it was announced that the rivalries would go on hiatus, with the Irish saying the Trojans weren't cooperating with scheduling new games. That hiatus didn't last as long as many would have thought, as it was announced that the two teams have come to an agreement on future matchups.
NEWS: USC and Notre Dame will renew their rivalry, with the series starting again in 2030. They’ll meet Week 1 in LA that year and play Week 1 in South Bend the next year.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 3, 2026
While this is great for college football fans who love long-standing rivalries, it has us thinking about another rivalry that should return and would probably have the backing of former players. The Michigan and Notre Dame rivalry was a fierce one when the two teams met on the football field. Being in close proximity to each other, it was a battle in the trenches, but hasn't been played since the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
With Notre Dame opening the door to old rivalries, maybe now is the time for Michigan to reach out and see if there is interest in renewing a long-standing matchup deep-rooted in animosity.
Former Michigan legend Taylor Lewan is all for a Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry renewal
During the 2025 football season, former Michigan and NFL legend Taylor Lewan was joined by Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman after the Irish took down USC with ease on his podcast "Bussin' With The Boys." Taylor shot his shot by asking Freeman who they should talk to in order to get Michigan vs. Notre Dame back as a regularly scheduled matchup.
When the matchup was played, it was always early in the season, normally the second or third game of the season, and it was electric. These two teams brought everything they had, and the hate was evident on the field. As Taylor said, it really is the two best helmets in college football going up against each other.
Taylor wasn't the only one ready for the rivalry to renew, as Freeman agreed wholeheartedly with the former Wolverines, wishing the Irish would find a way to make this happen. Former Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love was also in favor of the rivalry coming back, noting it as one of the forgotten rivalries he would love to see again.
With Notre Dame and USC back on the books, maybe it is time to revisit this other great rivalry, and the Wolverines shouldn't wait for Notre Dame to make the first move. Michigan does lead the rivalry series 25-17-1, with the last win coming in 2019.
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