Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a strong statement, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” Bevacqua stated.
Miami ultimately earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two programs. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media effort over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been unacceptable,” the commissioner stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The pushback is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s unique role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
The commissioner further highlighted the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they plan to decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
