Notre Dame-Purdue rivalry faces uncertain future beyond 2028

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame and Purdue will renew their historic Battle for the Shillelagh on September 24 in West Lafayette, but the future of the longstanding rivalry is uncertain, with no additional meetings scheduled beyond the 2028 season.

Purdue head coach Barry Odom acknowledged the significance of the matchup while emphasizing that the Boilermakers must prioritize what is best for their program when making future scheduling decisions.

“Geographically I know it makes fans happy, but I have to do what’s best for Purdue,” Odom says. “We have to make those decisions administratively. For what we think is best, for building our program and what the conference looks like.”

The two Indiana programs first met on the gridiron in 1896, beginning a rivalry that has endured for nearly 130 years.
From 1946 through 2014, Notre Dame and Purdue faced off every season, establishing one of college football’s longest-running annual rivalries. That tradition came to a halt after the 2014 season, largely due to scheduling changes involving Notre Dame’s agreement with the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten’s expansion.

The rivalry returned in 2021 before the two programs resumed annual matchups in 2024.
Now, with the final scheduled meeting approaching in 2028, the question is whether the two schools will continue a tradition that has connected generations of Fighting Irish and Boilermakers fans.

The stakes extend beyond the bragging rights of two in-state opponents.

Since 1957, Notre Dame and Purdue have competed for the Shillelagh Trophy, a symbol of a rivalry that has featured decades of memorable matchups.

Notre Dame enters Saturday’s contest riding a 10-game winning streak against the Boilermakers.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding future meetings, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman made it clear Thursday that the Fighting Irish would welcome the opportunity to keep the rivalry alive.

“As far as speaking for our program, we would love to continue this long-standing rivalry for many different reasons, it’s a great rivalry,” Freeman says. “It’s a great opponent and a well-respected opponent and one that we value. If they decide to not to extend this rivalry we will make adjustments.”

While Odom’s comments raise questions about the future of the series, neither school has officially announced plans to end the rivalry.