Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable criticism, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his remarks about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this procedure,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media effort over multiple weeks showing its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The criticism is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s special position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Speculative Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the support the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after missing out this year.