Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable criticism, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer 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 selection,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media effort over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public response is especially 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 football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Rumors
Yormark further remarked the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
