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.

As it stands, Notre Dame now must be considered the second-best program in the country, trailing only defending champion Ohio State. The gap is narrowing, and with the 2026 recruiting class shaping up to be one of the best in school history, the Irish are well-positioned to challenge for the top spot.