Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a strong statement, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this selection,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been out of line,” the commissioner commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
The commissioner also remarked the assistance the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a move less likely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after missing out this year.
