Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a strong rebuke, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
Notre Dame maintains a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial 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 process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC conducted a targeted social media effort over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark stated. “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.”
The 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 interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
Yormark also highlighted the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
