USC and Notre Dame are days away from one of the most significant clashes in the recent history of their long rivalry — it’s a playoff elimination game for both teams — but you’d never know the stakes are lofty with so much focus on the future.

Could this be the final game in a storied series that began in 1926? After all, the contract between the schools expires Saturday night.

The Trojans are reportedly talking to Netflix about moving the 2026 home date with Notre Dame (if the contract is extended) to a neutral site for what one source called an “absurd” paycheck — a tantalizing development, for sure. The Big Ten’s media partners (Fox, NBC and CBS) are none too pleased, which only adds to the hubbub.

But too little attention has been paid to the most vexing issue: the placement of Not

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