Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable criticism, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful 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 damage us in this process,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami ultimately earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over several weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his behavior has been out of line,” the commissioner commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Moves
Yormark also highlighted the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
