Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a public rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over several weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his conduct has been out of line,” the commissioner stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The response is especially notable given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
