re: What is the biggest cross conference rivalry in pro sports?

quote:

---

Notre Dame USC is a rarity in that the schools are not very close and their rivalry is based almost totally on mutual respect and disdain for the others historic and comparable top level success over the lives of the programs.

---

Objectively the rivalry makes no sense.

But you hit the nail on the head. The unparralled success that became two historic programs meeting each other is sort of just happenstance.

I mean they started in the late 20s when Notre Dame was king and USC could've ended up being a nobody.

But both are Top 5 programs of all-time which is why the rivalry is about respect compared to OSU-Michigan.