Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn got into a Twitter fight over an iconic college football play

Two former first-round quarterbacks trade potshots.

The smell of football is in the air, and it's downright beautiful.

We're just about three weeks away from the start of the college football season, but we're about two months away from one of the game's most historic rivalries: Notre Dame vs. USC.

However, there are two guys who competed in that rivalry, who are already looking like they're in midseason-trash-talking form.

Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart have not seen eye to eye — to say the least — since their battles in college. Leinart's Trojans got the better of Quinn's Fighting Irish in all three matchups where the two met.

Now, they're taking their beef to Twitter.

After Quinn called out USC for cheating in an interview, Leinart responded without hesitation or respect.

Quinn quickly snapped back.

After taking one to the chin, Leinart swung back.

They went blow for blow like Rocky IV, and Quinn got in one more shot.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Here's an idea: during halftime, let's just roll out a boxing ring, have them slap on some gloves, and let them finally go toe-to-toe ... just kidding.

But one thing that heated conversation did show is just how much the rivalry means to both sides. It also shows how much Quinn and Leinart love their respective schools.

While a Twitter spat between two former first-round quarterbacks isn't quite as exciting as actual football, it's still just enough entertainment to remind us how close we are and how much we love the game.

(h/t The Spun)