Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a public statement, Big 12 Conference commissioner stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his comments about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They do great 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 damage us in this process,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami eventually earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been unacceptable,” 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 criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s unique position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
The commissioner also pointed out the support the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious going after the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
