Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a public rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this selection,” the athletic director said.
Miami eventually secured the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been out of line,” the commissioner said. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public response is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s special position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Moves
Yormark also highlighted the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
