Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a public rebuke, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this selection,” the athletic director stated.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct contest between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark commented. “He is totally 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 unique position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
Yormark also pointed out the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“It has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have stated they are declining a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
