Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a public rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
The Fighting Irish maintains a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this process,” the athletic director stated.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the direct meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The criticism is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Rumors
Yormark further highlighted the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“It has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a move unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they are declining a bowl game after missing out this season.
