Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable statement, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has contended that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this selection,” Bevacqua stated.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC ran a coordinated social media effort over several weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been unacceptable,” Yormark said. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner also remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after missing out this season.
