<p>USC would never end the ND rivalry, and vice versa. There is a longstanding respect between both administrations (e.g. - Dr. Sample,the USC president, received an honorary doctorate from ND 4 or 5 years ago) that goes well beyond one team having a sustained downturn in quality play. This rivalry means too much to both schools to ever end; ND and Rockne helped put SC on the map many years ago, and over the years SC has been the only one of ND’s traditional rivals (can’t count Michigan; they play ND sporadically) that approaches ND in football prestige and tradition. This rivalry will always survive.</p>