Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a strong criticism, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his comments about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this selection,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his actions has been out of line,” the commissioner commented. “He is totally 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 especially striking given Bevacqua’s special role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the assistance the ACC gave Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable 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. However, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move less likely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they are declining a bowl game after missing out this year.
