Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a public criticism, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead 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 go out of your way to try to hurt us in this process,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC ran a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
The commissioner further highlighted the lifeline the ACC gave 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 unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after missing out this year.
