Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a strong statement, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent remarks about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this selection,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two programs. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely 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 striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
Yormark also remarked the support the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday appear to make such a move highly improbable in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
