Marcus Freeman did not need a long speech to respond to Indiana backing out on Notre Dame. When asked on The Triple Question podcast how he would react if Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti called to put their canceled 2030–31 series back on the calendar, the Fighting Irish head coach kept his response simple.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Curt Cignetti calls you today and says, ‘Hey, let’s do a home and home. What’s your response?” the host of The Triple Question asked. Freeman did not seem opposed to that idea, as he replied, “Absolutely.” It’s a clear indication to Ryan Day that Notre Dame is always game.
That single speaks volumes, especially given how the series actually ended. Indiana requested the cancellation, while Notre Dame quickly filled the open dates by renewing its rivalry with the USC Trojans, giving the Fighting Irish an early-season opponent.
The original deal was a straightforward 1-and-1 home-and-home series, set for South Bend in 2030 and Bloomington in 2031. But with the Big Ten moving to a grueling nine-game conference schedule in the expanded playoff era, Indiana chose to back out to protect its calendar. Rather than loading up on dangerous non-conference matchups, the Hoosiers opted for self-preservation, leaving Notre Dame to find another partner.
Notre Dame and USC have agreed to a four-year series running from 2030 through 2033, with Week 1 matchups in Los Angeles and South Bend opening the deal. Meanwhile, Indiana still has a scheduling gap to fill in 2030, and no non-Big Ten Power Four opponents are currently lined up for several years.
Cignetti, however, has his own take on how the game should happen. He made it clear he isn’t backing down from the Irish, but he wants the terms rewritten.
“I’d like to play Notre Dame,” Cignetti said, according to Oliver Vandervoort of Slap The Sign. “They ought to come to our place twice, and we’ll go there once, since they’re not in a conference.”
That is where Freeman’s one-word answer becomes a massive power move. Cignetti is trying to dictate terms from a position of caution, demanding extra home games to compensate for Notre Dame’s Independent status.
Freeman’s instant “Absolutely” completely flips the leverage. It tells the college football world that Notre Dame is ready to play anywhere under fair terms, exposing Indiana as the party playing defense while the Irish move on to USC.
Notre Dame-USC is one of college football’s oldest rivalries, dating back to 1926. But the series faced an uncertain future after USC joined the Big Ten, creating scheduling challenges for the Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley.
Indiana’s decision to back out of the series gave Notre Dame the opening it needed to bring USC back into the schedule. While the Fighting Irish get one of the oldest and biggest rivalries back, Indiana loses its most notable non-conference matchup and has a schedule filled with Group of Five and FCS opponents through 2029.
Cignetti has maintained that Indiana’s decision came down to scheduling conflicts and a desire to prioritize its Big Ten schedule, but he was not quite happy with how the schedules panned out.
“The Big Ten is the best league in football,” Cignetti said on July 30, according to Alex Byington of On3. “We don’t run a hype machine up here in the Midwest. We believe everything is earned, not given. And when we fall short, we say, ‘We fell short.’ We don’t cry a river, whine, and complain. All right? And that’s why we’re the best.”
The contrast between the two leadership styles is clear. While Cignetti is carefully managing risk for a program trying to maintain its elite status, Freeman is operating with the quiet confidence of a brand that can pivot to USC in a heartbeat.
Both programs enter the 2026 season with high expectations. Indiana is coming off a historic national championship run and handing the offense to TCU transfer Josh Hoover, while Notre Dame returns a deeply experienced roster and opens its campaign against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.
Whether the two teams meet again remains to be seen, but if Freeman has a say in it, Indiana need not wonder if Notre Dame is interested.