Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a notable statement, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this procedure,” the athletic director said.
Miami eventually earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct contest between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Rumors
The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after missing out this season.
