Johnson’s message came on the same day reports indicated USC and Notre Dame would not renew their rivalry for at least the next several years. The Trojans were said to have had concerns about what a late-season defeat might do to their hypothetical chances of making future College Football Playoff fields.

Notre Dame and USC are preparing to skip their rivalry game next season for just the second time in eight decades, Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported Monday.

Christmas Eve marks the 16th anniversary of Notre Dame’s 49-21 win over the Hawaii Warriors in the Hawaii Bowl. Not only was it a tremendously fun game to watch, it also finally ended Notre Dame’s bowl losing streak that stretched back to their last win in January of 1994.

The USC Trojans are reportedly responsible for putting an end to one of their most enduring rivalry games. USC’s annual game against Notre Dame, which has been played nearly uninterrupted since 1926,

Jadarian Price, the other side of the Irish's run game next to Jeremiyah Love, has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, according to a post he made on Instagram. "I carry with me the lessons, values and memories Notre Dame has given me," Price wrote in a post on Instagram.