Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
Miami eventually secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the direct meeting between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over several weeks showing its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his conduct has been egregious,” the commissioner commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Rumors
The commissioner further remarked the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move less likely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have announced they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
