"Strange choice" "No shame anymore": Fans go wild at USC transfer Elijah Hughes' Notre Dame commitment 

With two years of eligibility left, USC Trojans defensive lineman Elijah Hughes, who entered the transfer portal on Dec. 17, has committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

For the Trojans in 2024, Hughes played seven games, where he totaled six tackles and a sack. A year prior, when he was a true freshman, he tallied six tackles and 0.5 sacks.

His transfer has left many fans bewildered, especially since Notre Dame and USC share a fierce rivalry.

"going to the opp is outrageous," one fan commented.

"Transferring to your rival is crazy work. USC is going through it," another wrote.

"And then on3 purposely put his picture of him throwing the LA sign up on this graphic is crazy lol. Hughes the opps now 😂🤦🏿‍♂️" another added.

"Strange choice," one fan posted.

"The rival? No shame anymore," another added.

"He realized he never gonna win 10 games at USC 🤏🏻😂🫡" one fan take a dig at USC.

Elijah Hughes releases a statement following transfer to Notre Dame

Following the transfer, on Saturday, Elijah Hughes took to Instagram and released a statement to show his gratitude for the Trojans with whom he spent his first two seasons in college football.

“Humbled and honored to announce that I am committing to Notre Dame Football,” Hughes wrote on Instagram. “To my USC family, thank you for the love, memories, and support over the past few years. Being a Trojan has been an unforgettable journey, and I am forever grateful.

“I never imagined I’d find myself on the other side of this historic rivalry, but I am looking forward to the journey ahead. All glory to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior for guiding my path.”

After Saturday's announcement, Elijah Hughes became the sixth addition for the Fighting Irish through transfer. Apart from Hughes, former Louisville defensive lineman Jared Dawson and former Virginia wide receiver Malachi Fields also transferred to Marcus Freeman's program, which is in the national championship game, eyeing to win their first title since 1988.

Hughes is hoping to get more playing time in Freeman's defensive scheme in 2025.