Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable statement, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media push over several weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions 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 criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario highly improbable in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.