Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable rebuke, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They 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 eventually secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct contest between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC ran a coordinated social media effort over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his conduct has been out of line,” the commissioner said. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Moves
Yormark further pointed out the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
