Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a strong statement, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant 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 procedure,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct contest between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday appear to make such a move less likely in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they will decline a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
