Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a public statement, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this process,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his conduct has been unacceptable,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s special standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“It has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
